


For a Drop of Your Blood

by Nickygp



Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Age Difference, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Blood Drinking, Blood Kink, Bonding, Heats, Hurt/Comfort, Knotting, M/M, Magic (especial abilities), Miscommunication, Multiple Orgasms, Omega!Eggsy, Pining, Possessive Behavior, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, alpha!Harry, human!Eggsy, transformations, vampire!Harry, vampire!eggsy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-19
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2018-04-27 04:36:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 36
Words: 124,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5034013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nickygp/pseuds/Nickygp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eggsy Unwin is an MI6 agent, assigned to protect, and keep tabs on, Harry Hart -one of the three leaders of the vampire clan - who is in town due to a number of human revolts sparked by vampiric insurrection. </p><p>Harry is immediately drawn to Eggsy and his mouthwatering blood, the taste of it, the feel of Eggsy clutching at him as he <em>takes</em>. However he keeps himself emotionally distant as vampires and humans are not meant to be together. Well, he tries - or so he tells himself. </p><p>The playing field will change drastically, however, when Harry is forced to change Eggsy to save his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A mission

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't planning on starting this fic for another month, but here we are.  
> You can find a lovely edit done by takeanotherpieceofmyhartwin for my fic [here](http://takeanotherpieceofmyhartwin.tumblr.com/post/131515354636/for-a-drop-of-your-blood-by-kingsmanhartwin-eggsy)  
> You can find an edit made by the lovely mrstarshipper [here](http://mrstarshipper.tumblr.com/post/131755525018)  
> You can also find a gifset made by the wonderful hartwin-danny [here](http://kingsmanhartwin.tumblr.com/post/131769521229/for-a-drop-of-your-blood-by-nickygp-aka)  
> You can find an edit done by the lovely blackmakethme [here](http://blackmakethme.tumblr.com/post/132632972438/kingsmanhartwin-since-i-love-vampires-and-hartwin)  
> And you can find a cover done by the lovely damntective [here](http://taroneqerton.co.vu/post/134930339634/cover-for-for-a-drop-of-your-blood-by)  
> \---------
> 
> “You Can Not Run From Destiny”  
> ― Ashley Stoyanoff

“Eggsy!” Percival barked out, leaning against the door of his office, his sharp eyes boring directly into the blond who was just coming back to his desk.

Eggsy raised a brow to look at Percival, feeling like a deer caught in the headlights. It was one of Percival’s many talents, to make people feel as if they had extraordinarily fucked up even if they hadn’t done anything yet. 

The man motioned for Eggsy to come closer, looking slightly exasperated, which was never a good sign. Percival rarely got angry at anything - another one of his talents - unless of course it involved some crooked politician or it had anything to do with vampires, which Eggsy still found ironic considering that the man was a vampire himself. 

Eggsy walked into the man’s dark office, frowning softly. “It ain’t even sunny outside, bruv,” Eggsy said with a hint of humor in his voice. 

Percival merely shot him a sharp glare, turning on the soft yellow light that sat on his desk. “Now be a good boy and sit down,” Percival said in retaliation, daring Eggsy with a toothy smile. 

The younger man rolled his eyes but said nothing, merely flopping down on the offered seat. “What’s the matter, bruv?” 

“We have a new mission for you,” that man said with a smile that looked much more like a grimace. 

Eggsy frowned. “What kind of mission are we talkin’ about, Perce?” 

“How many times have I told you not to call me that?” The man said in a tone that sounded more like a whine than anything else. “You’ll be playing babysitter for a while.” 

Eggsy immediately shook his head, feeling riled up. “What the fuck? Is James mad at me? Bruv, I’ve been on my A game lately. I ‘aven’t fucked up once. I-”

“You’re on babysitting duty precisely because you haven’t fucked up,” Percival said with a hint of humor.

Sick bastard is what he was. Eggsy huffed out a breath, clearly ready to put up a fight. “Percival-”

“Shush, Eggsy, and listen” the man said, still grinning like the bastard he was. “As you know, there have been revolts happening lately, insurrections that the government is having trouble subduing.” 

“Well obviously,” Eggsy said bitterly. “If vampires are allowed to-”

Percival raised his hand, cutting Eggsy short. “The vampires that have been attacking humans are not the norm, Eggsy,” Percival admitted through gritted teeth. “I may hate my clan, but I have to admit that none of the clans would allow such a thing to occur, much less their leaders.” 

Eggsy frowned, shuffling in his seat. “What do yeh mean?” 

“The recent attacks that have sparked the revolts were planned Eggsy,” the man said simply, passing him a folder. “Someone is trying to weaken the clans, and whoever it is, they’re not human.” 

Eggsy sighed, screwing his eyes shut. 

That was fucking great. If it was a vampire behind all of this, then they didn’t fucking have a chance. “So what are we supposed to do?” 

“We’re not doing anything,” the main said with a soft chuckle. “The human government doesn’t have the resources, boy.” 

Eggsy frowned. “Then-”

“The clans have decided to step in,” the man said, his features darkening. “One of the three heads will be meeting with the UN to solve this… problem.” 

Eggsy gaped at the man, momentarily unable to speak. Finally he swallowed hard, leaning forward. “A head of the clans is coming?” 

The man nodded, wrinkling his nose in distaste. “Your job is to keep him safe, and to be the eyes and ears of the humans,” Percival said as he jotted something down on his notepad. 

Eggsy felt his mouth go dry. “Wouldn’t it be better if yeh do it? Yeh are a-” 

“I am a nothing,” the man snapped, his contact-covered eyes narrowing. “No one knows _what_ I am, remember?” the man whispered, coming to stand behind Eggsy in the blink of an eye. “I deserted my kin, Eggsy, because I couldn’t stand them. Deserters aren’t supposed to be allowed to live.” 

Eggsy turned to face the man. “But you are alive. Why-”

“That’s because Chester didn’t manage to get his filthy claws on me before Harry could intervene,” the man said, bristling. “And Harry did it at a personal risk, considering that I was not part of his clan, but of Chester’s.” 

“But ain’t that bruv one of the leaders?” Eggsy said, feeling more and more confused by the second. 

“That doesn’t exempt him from the law,” the man said with a roll of his eyes. “He may be a clan leader, but he has no authority over Chester’s clan. The three clans work separately boy, and only work as one when dealing with humans or large matters.” Percival rubbed his eyes, looking weary. “Anyway, that is all in the past. What matters now is that you will be serving as a personal bodyguard for the duration of the man’s trip, which can be anything from a week to a month.” 

“You still ‘aven’t told me who I’ll be protecting,” the younger man noted, praying that it wasn’t Chester. 

“Lucky for you, the one coming will be Harry Hart, head of the sanguis clan,” the man said, his eyes warming minutely. 

——————————————

“Master are you sure this is a good idea?” Roxy murmured softly, walking next to Harry. 

The man nodded, squeezing her hand. “Don’t worry my dear. It will be fine. They’ll be more comfortable if there’s a human present with us at all times.” 

Roxy bit her lip. “But master, what if the human-”

“Roxanne, my dear, I am sure that between you, Merlin, and myself we can subdue one human,” Harry said with amusement. “Besides, Merlin has already screened the young man, and he assured me that he was clear.”  

Roxy finally nodded, moving back to flank Harry’s side as Merlin moved to open the door for Harry. 

Harry gave him a thankful nod, smiling politely as he came face to face with the young man that was to be his bodyguard for the next week - or what he hoped would only be a week. Harry stepped into the room and froze, taking his fill of the younger man. Harry had to admit, the blonde looked ravishingly beautiful, and the smell of his blood was simply _mouthwatering_. 

Harry took a deep breath, sure that his dark red eyes were changing into a blood red color, reflecting his desire. Harry swallowed hard, forcing his more animalistic side down, feeling his canines wanting to come out to have a taste. Harry bit his tongue, trying to distract himself with the self inflicted pain, not wanting to scare the younger man.

Still, despite his best efforts he felt sweet desire pool at his groin, making his skin tingle, and he clenched his hands, mentally berating himself. 

Harry had not felt this compelled by a human’s blood in quite a while, nor had he been charmed by such a pretty face since… actually, he couldn’t quite recall ever feeling this… driven by mere desire. 

It was rather unsettling. 

“You must be Gary,” Harry suddenly said in a low tone, walking closer and smiling at the way the younger man’s breath hitched.”I’m Harry Hart.”  

Eggsy shook the man’s pale hand, suppressing the urge to fix himself in his pants. Fucking hell, the man was fucking sex on legs is what he was. 

Eggsy had never been particularly fond of vampires. To him, they were all elitist, posh wankers who did not give a damn whether or not the rest of the world lived or died. He had had his fair share of encounters with vampires, and while it was true that they looked more beautiful than the general bloke walking down the street, Eggsy had never found them that impressive to begin with. 

That is until now of course, for right now he was sure he just needed the man to come a little closer to whisper in that same filthy tone in his ear and he’d come right in his pants. 

Fucking hell, this really wasn’t good. 


	2. A Test in Self-Control

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “One can be the master of what one does, but never of what one feels.”  
> ― Gustave Flaubert

Harry fixed the collar of his shirt, picking up the blood-filled cup sitting on his desk. He wrinkled his nose in distaste. He had never had a problem with drinking from blood bags before, but - having Eggsy’s torturously enticing blood so near by - it was proving to be hard to stick to just that. If this wasn’t a test to his self control, he wasn’t sure what was. 

It wasn’t only that Eggsy was staying in the quarters right next to his, it was that the boy’s smell had permanently permeated every space in the flat. His smell was obviously strongest in his room, which was why Harry had yet to set a foot in there, but even Harry’s room was starting to softly smell like him because the maid had left the door to his room open for some idiotic reason Harry didn’t even want to think about. It was bloody torture is what it was - no pun intended. 

Harry swallowed the whole contents in one go, feeling his stomach lurch unpleasantly. He touched the side of his abdomen, alarmed at the almost aggressive reaction his body was having to the bagged blood. 

What in the world?

“Harry, are you ready?” Merlin said softly, rapping at the door. “You are going to be late, sir.” 

“Just a minute,” the man called out, picking up his jacket quickly as he all but ran out of the room, quickly fixing his gelled hair. “How do I look?”

“Like you are going to be late,” Merlin said unimpressed, pressing his hand against the small of Harry’s back. “Bors is waiting for you in the car.” 

Harry nodded, putting on the jacket. “I’d rather if you all stayed here, if you don’t mind,” Harry said low enough for only Merlin to hear. “I am not yet sure if we can trust Mr. Unwin.” 

Merlin nodded, blocking Harry from view as he murmured “would you like me to confirm?” 

Harry quickly shook his head, not wanting Merlin to exert himself for his benefit. “No, that won’t be necessary, just… feel out the situation.” 

Merlin nodded again, squeezing Harry’s shoulder. “Do not worry, Harry, I will get this sorted.” 

The man nodded with relief, his eyes snapping to Eggsy’s door as it suddenly opened, revealing a still sleepy looking Eggsy. Harry tried to contain a smile, trying - and failing - not to find the image adorable. He turned around without another word, not trusting his behavior at the moment, and left the flat. 

Eggsy frowned, looking at the closed door with curious eyes. “Where the hell is he goin’?” 

“He has a meeting with the american ambassador,” Merlin said with a polite smile as he walked towards the open kitchen. “Would you like some orange juice?” 

Eggsy quickly followed the man to the kitchen, looking more confused than curious now. “Why did he leave on his own? We need to be with him. My job is to protect-”

“He isn’t going alone. Bors - one of our agents - is going with him. Besides, Harry didn’t want us to come with him.” 

Eggsy frowned, already picturing the unimpressed look Percival would give him when he told him he had failed at his mission on the second day. “Why wouldn’t he want us there?” 

Merlin shrugged. “Harry has his reasons.” He passed Eggsy a glass filled with orange juice, guiding the young man to the living room. “You’ll be staying with me and Roxanne today.” 

Before Eggsy could protest, he felt a soft but strong hand pull him by the hand. He snapped his eyes to where Roxanne now stood, her hair fixed in a perfect ponytail.  

“Bloody hell, you scared me. Where did you even come from?” Eggsy said, trying to keep himself from tensing too badly. 

The young looking woman just chuckled, guiding him to a seat. “One of the perks of being a vampire is that we’re faster than you humans, and also quieter.” 

“You don’t say,” Eggsy huffed out good-naturedly. “What else can yeh lot do?” 

Merlin and Roxy exchanged wary glances, before Merlin murmured “and why would you want to know?” 

Eggsy raised a brow, surprised by the sudden hostility. “Well I’ll be livin’ with yeh for who knows how long, won’t I? I think I deserve to know what I’ll be dealin’ with?” 

Merlin stared him down for a few moments, but when he noticed that Eggsy wasn’t backing down any time soon, he relented. “We, as I’m sure you know already, have heightened senses.” 

“Is that it?” Eggsy said, suddenly confused why vampires were so esteemed. Hell, that didn’t sound so special, was that why they were all so secretive about the vampire race?

“Well obviously not,” Merlin said with a toothy smile. “But I don’t see what else might be useful for you to know.” 

“Well if Imma be protectin’ yer king or whatever, shouldn’t I at least know what the fuck he’s susceptible to?” Eggsy said with a hint of exasperation. 

Merlin mulled the thought over, his eyes narrowing. “All vampires are susceptible to sunlight. If we’re exposed for long periods of time we can die.” 

Eggsy suddenly raised to his feet. “But it’s mornin’ right now. Harry will-”

“Calm down, Eggsy,” Merlin murmured, his eyes softening. “The car’s windows are tinted black, and they won’t be meeting anywhere were there is sunlight. Harry is fine.” 

Eggsy sat back down, but the restlessness would not leave him as a sudden urge to make sure Harry was fine filled him. He wasn’t sure why he felt so protective of the man. 

_It was the mission. It was just the mission messing with his head._  

“Is there anythin’ else I should watch out for?” 

Merlin mulled the thought over, before saying “Well, Harry needs large quantities of blood, more so than other vampires because he doesn’t have a mate and keeping his… abilities in check take a big toll on him.” 

“What do you mean mates? And what abilities are yeh talkin’ about?” Eggsy said immediately, leaning forward. 

“I’m afraid that’s a long story that you better ask Harry,” the man said, politely avoiding the subject. “In any case, that is not really your concern, but his.” 

“How do yeh feed?” Eggsy asked, not sure whether he wanted to know the answer. 

Merlin raised a brow at him before saying “It depends on the vampire. Some subsist solely on blood bags, though that’s very few. Most vampires are supplied with… uh, blood by the clans.” 

Eggsy frowned, looking half horrified. “Yeh mean yeh kill people?” 

“No, of course not,” Merlin bristled. “Harry made sure to prohibit the killing of humans as soon as he stepped into power. No, we don’t kill humans, Eggsy. We have an agreement with most countries that send us monthly groups of people that are handsomely paid for their services.” 

Eggsy’s brows shot up as he struggled to keep his jaw in place. “People get paid to get their blood sucked?” 

Merlin shrugged. “It’s easy money, and the experience is not actually a bad one. While the initial rip of skin does hurt, a vampire’s bite is actually quite pleasurable as it releases hormones for both participants.” 

Eggsy wasn’t sure if he was fascinated or horrified by that. “So you-”

“We do what we need to survive,” Merlin said, clearly tired of the topic. “We have humans that live in our capitals for a month, at which point they are sent back home.” Merlin shrugged suddenly getting up. “Besides, not every vampire likes drinking from human, most just rely on their partners and a few blood bags here or there.” 

“Do yeh all ‘ave partners?” Eggsy asked, feeling morbid curiosity to know if there was some lucky bastard out there destined to be Harry’s partner. 

He wasn’t sure he wanted to know why he cared.  

Merlin nodded. “We choose our partners, but once we choose we mate for life.” 

Eggsy felt a pang of envy at Merlin’s words. It sounded a hell of a lot like those pretty true love fairytales where the two lovebirds had a happily ever after. It was everything Eggsy had wanted as a child. It hadn’t been until he had grown a bit older that he had realized such things didn’t exist, not in his world at least. 

“You alright Eggsy?” the young woman said all of a sudden, shaking Eggsy’s arm softly. 

“What? Yeah m’fine,” he said with a small wink, getting up. “I should probably take a shower.” 

Merlin nodded, waiting for the young man to make his tactical retreat before he turned to face Roxy. 

“So what do you think?” She said, her voice tinged with worry. 

“It would be easier if Harry would just let me use my power on the boy,” Merlin admitted, sounding unhappy. “But at least from the outside I can’t detect any ill will.” 

Roxy nodded, smiling broadly at Merlin. “Good, because I like him. He seems nice.” 

Merlin hummed in agreement, bringing Roxy closer to him, resting his cheek on her head. “Just be cautious.” 

Roxy huffed out a breath. “Tell that to Harry. He’s the one that wants in on Eggsy’s pants.” 

——————————————

“So, how did it go?” Merlin said in a whisper, knowing that Harry would be able to hear him just fine.  

Harry grunted noncommittally, taking off his jacket in one quick motion. “They made demands from the clan, and I turned most of those demands down.” 

“What else is new?” Merlin quipped, taking Harry’s jacket from his hands. “I’m sure they were happy it was you who came and not Chester.” 

“Ecstatic,” Harry admitted, bemused. “I was quite sure the man was about to kiss me out of relieve when he saw me.” 

Merlin laughed quietly, mindful of the fact that both Roxy and Eggsy were now in bed. 

“Did you manage to talk to Eggsy?” Harry asked as casually as possible.

Merlin nodded, passing Harry a cup filled with blood. “I wouldn’t completely trust him yet, as he _is_ working for a human agency, but he seems to be a good lad.” 

Harry nodded, relieved. “Thank you, Merlin.” 

Merlin nodded, as he walked away, whispering a “Goodnight, Harry.”

Harry saw his friend - his brother - walk away, before directing himself to his own room. He took a sip of the blood, before placing the cup back down, grimacing. He couldn’t drink it. 

He growled in frustration, before exiting his room again, half wanting to just open every window in the flat to see if Eggsy’s smell would go away. 

_Eggsy_

Without noticing, Harry had walked himself to the door of the younger man’s bedroom. He bit his lower lip, opening the door carefully not to wake up the younger man. He was hit by the strong smell of Eggsy, making his mouth water immediately. 

He walked up to the younger man’s side, leaning down to peer at the beautifully relaxed face of the sleeping young man. He was hit by Eggsy’s enticing scent as he leaned closer, now mere breaths away from the younger man’s neck. Harry felt his canines lengthen as his throat burned with thirst. He licked his canines, half tempted to just sink his teeth in and _taste_. 

Eggsy moved minutely, snapping Harry out of his trance. He suddenly pulled away, horrified at himself. He had never allowed himself to lose himself so horribly on his more primal wants.

For heaven’s sake, what was he doing?

He ran out of the room, closing the door a bit harder than expected before running to his room, burying his head in his hands. This was ridiculous. A young human man had Harry wrapped around his little finger, and Harry had no idea how to avoid it. 

Eggsy’s eyes snapped open at the sound of the door closing, and he bolted up, looking around the dark room, sure that he could smell the barest hint of Harry’s cologne in the air. After a few minutes of searching, he sank back into his bed, distantly feeling disillusioned at not finding Harry there. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I should warn you that my updates may be slower than usual, because I am working on three weeks at a time, so I'll probably be updating this fic once a week (as opposed to twice a week) until I'm done with the other two. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy the ride.


	3. Unfriendly faces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “I don't hate you.. I just don't like that you exist”  
> ― Gena Showalter

Eggsy sat at the breakfast table, lost in thought. It had been almost four days since he had woken up in the middle of the night, half sure he had been dreaming about Harry, and things were… things were off. 

Not only could he not get the vampire king out of his head, he was also quite sure by now that the man was avoiding Eggsy as best he could. The easy conversation - banter almost - that had been present for the first two days was all but scarce now.

After that day with the meeting with the ambassador, Harry had taken to choose other bodyguards, assuring Eggsy that they’d be fine, and, frankly, Eggsy was starting to get pissed off. Did the man not think he could do his bloody job properly or was it that he didn’t trust Eggsy enough to take the younger man with him? 

Not to mention, every time he found Eggsy somewhere in the vicinity he stiffened and tried his best to hurry along. He was gone as soon as he saw Eggsy about in the morning and - if his meetings ran late - he made sure to come back after the younger man was asleep. Eggsy had no idea what had come over the man. He also didn’t know if it was that he had done something wrong, or if really this was just Harry showing his true nature. 

He really hoped not. 

The man had been so cordial and funny that first day, laughing along with Eggsy about the most asinine things. Eggsy clenched his jaw, suddenly standing up from the chair he was sitting on. He went directly to Merlin’s room, not bothering to knock. 

He barged in, a frown on his face, only to find Merlin and Harry in there, the king sitting on the bed while Merlin towered over him, the bald man’s eyes looking stormy. They had clearly been arguing about something. 

“Uh, sorry to interrupt,” Eggsy said as he blushed softly, because yes he was pissed off but he was no punk. 

“It’s quite alright, Eggsy,” Merlin said with a hospitable smile, moving away from Harry with one last withering look, which Harry returned straight on. “How can I help you, lad?” 

Eggsy took a deep breath, suddenly feeling much less courageous - and much more distracted - than before as Harry was in the room. He couldn’t help but notice the way Harry’s bespoke suit fit his obviously fit biceps, and the way the dark fabric clung to his thighs. 

Fucking hell, he wasn’t here to check out Harry. He was hear to complain about Harry. 

“I was wondering sir, if there’s a reason why you’re not allowing me to do my job,” he said, his voice sounding harsh even in his own ears. 

Merlin’s lips twitched as the man’s face became unreadable. “What do you mean, Eggsy?” 

“Every time _Mr. Hart_ goes out, I am kept here, even though _my_ job is to keep him safe,” Eggsy took a deep breath, feeling anger rise up inside of him. “Look, If yeh don’t believe me capable of doing my job-”

“Oh for crying out loud, of course we don’t think that,” Harry said immediately, standing up with a grimace. 

“Then why do you keep me here?” The younger man said, his tone a bit too resentful. “Honestly, I-”

Harry suddenly stepped forward, a shadow of regret crossing his features. “It was not my intention to make you feel like this Eggsy, I just….” Harry suddenly closed his mouth, scrambling to find an excuse. 

He couldn’t very well tell the boy that the reason he had kept Eggsy back was because his blood - and his laughter - were extremely distracting to Harry and the vampire couldn’t afford to want to sink his teeth into the younger man’s neck every so often - by which he meant every second he was near Eggsy - thank you very much. 

“I never know whether or not the humans they send to do these kind of things are comfortable around us,” Harry said finally, his voice sounding uncertain. “I didn’t wish to make you uncomfortable.” 

There, that was partly true; he really didn’t want to make Eggsy uncomfortable. 

The younger man rolled his eyes, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “I ‘ave been stayin’ in the same bloody flat as yeh lot and yeh are worried about whether or not I’m uncomfortable doin’ my job?” 

_Well maybe not the best excuse after all._

“Well, Harry is supposed to leave in five minutes,” Merlin said appeasingly as he came closer to clasp Eggsy’s shoulder, making Harry stiffen imperceptibly. “So - since we’ve cleared this up - you’ll be going with him.” 

Harry felt his throat dry up as Eggsy smiled and nodded before leaving the room. Harry turned to look at Merlin, not sure whether he wanted to snap his friend’s neck or just hide in a corner.

“What?” Merlin said, a hint of exasperation in his voice. 

Harry sighed and shook his head before leaving the room as well. He was starting to regret not telling Merlin why he had been avoiding Eggsy for the past four days. 

——————————————

Harry stepped out of the elevator, Eggsy flanking his side. Harry grimaced softly, Eggsy’s smell intoxicating him, the enticing want going straight to his cock. The younger man stepped in front of him to open the door and Harry gave him a polite nod, praying that Eggsy would not be able to notice his half hard prick. 

Honestly, this was just embarrassing. 

Eggsy returned to Harry’s side as they reached a rather posh looking reception, much too posh for Eggsy’s taste, where two men - one dark skinned and one rather old looking - stood, talking quietly. 

The dark skinned man turned to look at Harry with those dark red eyes of his, smiling softly. “There you are, Harry.” 

“Late as usual, I see,” the older man drawled out, giving Harry a disapproving look. 

“Thank you, Chester, I do try,” Harry said with a faint smile that did not reach his eyes. So the man was having one of _those_ insufferable days. joy. 

_ So that was the infamous Chester Percival always loved cursing at. So the other one needed to be -  _

 “Valentine, I thought you weren’t coming,” Harry said, his eyes turning substantially warmer when he turned to look at the man. 

“I wasn’t,” the man agreed, eyeing Eggsy. “But then I remembered how you and Chester always need me in the room if we want shit to get done.” 

Harry chuckled but nodded, placing his hand on the small of the man’s back as he guided them to a set of golden double doors. “Come then, let us get this over with.” 

Harry opened the door and waited for the other two to go in before turning to Eggsy. “Would you mind waiting here, Eggsy?” Harry said delicately, slightly tilting his head to the side. “The matters we must discuss are-”

“That’s fine, sir,” Eggsy assured him, keeping his smile on until the man disappeared into the room.

Eggsy moved closer to the door, feeling rather curious to hear what those three needed to talk about that had prompted the other two clan leaders to come all the way here to discuss it. 

“That blond outside,” Valentine murmured as he sat at the table. “Who is he?” 

“He is an MI6 agent,” Harry informed him as he himself took a seat at the head of the table. “His name is Eggsy.” 

Valentine chuckled softly - or at least it sounded like a chuckle to Eggsy, he wasn’t sure - before murmuring “that’s one funny name.” 

Harry shrugged, suddenly feeling defensive of the younger man. “It suits him.” 

Valentine hummed. “You seem to be rather okay with him,” he noted with a mischievous smile. “Is it because his smell is appealing?” 

Harry froze, his brows rising, but before he could answer Valentine murmured “You know, it’s rude to not share, Harry. Why don’t you lend me the boy for a few hours. He seems-”

Harry suddenly growled violently, interrupting Valentine. He bared his canines to the man, as his nostrils flared. 

How dare Valentine treat such a wonderful young man as food? How dare he insinuate Harry would even be willing to share him if he would be so blessed as to have him? 

“Enough, Harry,” Chester snapped, baring his own teeth. “Honestly, what has gotten into you?” 

“I was just joking, my dear, don’t get so ruffled,” Valentine said in a soothing tone, patting the man’s arm. 

Harry said nothing, sure that if he said anything right that moment it would only aggravate the situation. 

Chester stared at the younger man for a long while, taking in Harry’s tense shoulders and almost murderous demeanor. “Honestly," he huffed out, half annoyed. "You should know by now, Harry, not to play with your _food_ ,” the man said with derision, feeling a strong urge to shake the lovestruck man sitting to his right.

Eggsy jumped away from the door, feeling sick to his stomach. He wasn’t sure what to think. Harry wasn’t supposed to be…. but why should he have expected differently? There was a reason Percival had left his clan. Why would Harry care about humans? 

Chester had said it clearly enough. They were just food for them. But Eggsy wasn't food. He didn't want to be just food to Harry. He wanted to be... he wanted to be so much more, and fuck when had that happened? He wasn't supposed to like the man like that and yet...

Well it didn't matter, because right now Harry thought of him as food. 

But what if he could show the man that he wasn't his food, nor was he his property? How could he show him? 

Fuck he felt sick.

Inside the room, Harry clenched his teeth his canines retracting back to a more normal size as he turned to glare at the older man. “How many times do I have to tell you, Chester,” He said in a low tone, low enough that only the two vampires sitting next to him could hear, “that humans are not - and have never been - just food. They are creatures just like us, that live in the same world as we do, and who deserve the same amount of respect, if not _more_.” 

The older man rolled his eyes, clearly tired of the argument. “And how many times do I need to tell you that-”

“Enough,” Valentine said with a sigh, looking weary. “Honestly, we are just waisting time, and I have other things to do.” He turned to look at Harry, squeezing the man’s arm. “I apologize for my comment, Harry, I promise I just wanted to get you riled up.” 

Harry gave the man a terse nod but said nothing more, leaning back against his chair. 

“Alright, good,” Valentine said, leaning froward as he intertwined his fingers on to of the table. “So, shall we begin?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO you got this chapter much earlier than expected! 
> 
> I hope you're enjoying the story :)


	4. Green Eyed Monster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;  
> It is the green-ey'd monster, which doth mock  
> The meat it feeds on.”  
> ― William Shakespeare, Othello

Eggsy opened the door to the flat, not meeting Harry’s eyes even when the man thanked him an that smooth voice of his. Harry said nothing at Eggsy’s behavior, assuming he was still a bit angry due to the fact Harry had kept him from doing his job for the past four days. 

“Master, you’re back,” Roxy said with no small amount of relief. “I trust it went well?”

“As well as it can go when Chester is involved,” Harry said tensely. 

While he respected the man - he had led his clan through rather hard times after all - he had never quite liked Chester, especially not now. It seemed as if with every passing century the man became more and more bitter. 

“So nothing got done then,” Merlin drawled as he came out of his room, fixing his jacket. “brilliant,” he sneered. 

Harry rolled his eyes. “I did not say that, now did I? Valentine managed to convince Chester to go along with whatever I decide to do.” 

Merlin chuckled, before murmuring “How much of his power did he have to use on the man?” 

“Don’t be ridiculous, Merlin,” Harry said with a smile of his own. “The bastard would have noticed if Valentine did something.” 

“You sure about that?” Merlin said with an arched brow. 

Harry just shook his head, taking off his jacket, before throwing it on the couch. He turned to face Eggsy, surprised to find the younger leaving. “Eggsy where are you going?” He blurted out before he could think better of it. 

Eggsy turned to face him, his face blank. “Do you need me here, sir?” 

Harry felt himself blushing - or the closest thing he could get to blushing - and he gaped at the younger man, before snapping his mouth shut. “No, no I don’t. You may go.” 

Eggsy nodded, giving him a polite smile before whirling around to direct himself to his room. 

Merlin frowned, surprised by Eggsy’s sudden coldness. “What the bloody hell did you do, Harry?” 

“I didn’t do anything!” The man complained, feeling slightly hurt at the fact that Merlin immediately assumed this was somehow his fault. “I haven’t even had time to talk to him, Merlin.” 

The man shook his head, not sure whether to be amused at Harry’s distress or worried. “Well, then let it be. You should get some rest, brother,” the man said as he squeezed Harry’s arm. “I left a cup of blood on your nightstand.” 

Harry nodded, hearing the disapproval in Merlin’s voice. He knew it was probably time to tell the man the reason why he hadn’t drank the blood yesterday - especially considering how Merlin was clearly still pissed off about that -  but he didn’t feel up to it. There was nothing the man could do to help him. 

He would probably suggest asking the human government to send a different agent, and Harry simply wasn’t having that. He didn’t want to part from Eggsy just yet. It was a selfish desire, he knew, but he at least wanted to leave on good terms with the young man. 

Besides, it wasn’t even a guarantee that that would help. Perhaps really what Harry needed to do was go hunting. But he couldn’t do that, at least not now. It had been too many days since he had last drunk human blood. He would need more than what one person could offer, especially since he wasn’t planning on killing anyone. 

He just hoped these meetings would be over soon, if only for the sake of replenishing his quickly dwindling energy. 

“Thank you, Merlin,” Harry said honestly, walking away. He stopped next to the door to his room to say “Have the car ready in an hour, will you? We still have one more meeting tonight.” 

Harry didn’t wait to see whether the man acknowledged his request or not. He walked into his room, and locked the door, before walking towards his nightstand. He picked up the cup filled with blood, smelling it first. 

He felt some of the panic leave him as the smell was - for the first time in days - rather appetizing. He took a small sip, letting the lukewarm liquid run down his throat. He closed his eyes, half tensing as he waited for his stomach to churn. He relaxed further when his stomach said nothing at the offer.

With a last trace of hesitation, he took another, longer, sip, praying that he would be able to hold down the entire cup of blood. 

He really shouldn’t have held such high hopes. 

As soon as he swallowed that second sip, he felt his stomach lurch and he ran to the bathroom, forcing himself not to return the rather meagre contents that were now in his stomach. He closed his eyes and clenched his hands, leaning heavily against the sink as he inhaled slowly. 

What the bloody hell was happening to him? 

He looked up, wanting to break the glass. He finally picked up the cup again and sniffed. The smell still wasn’t bad, but Eggsy’s natural smell was permeating the room, driving Harry half mad. 

Harry placed the cup against his lips again, but stopped short, not sure whether he wanted to push his luck right now. Two sips might not be much, but it was better than nothing, especially since he would have to be in a club full of humans for the rest of the night. 

He finally turned to the toilet, throwing the contents of the cup into the toilet before flushing.

_If this continued for much longer he’d tell Merlin._

_————————————————-_

Harry walked into the club, fixing the collar of his shirt as the lights dimmed even further. He could feel Eggsy tense next to him, clearly not liking the venue Harry had agreed to meet his… acquaintance. Harry allowed the younger man to look around before walking in, knowing that he’d fuss too much otherwise. 

Harry turned to Merlin, grabbing his arm softly as he whispered - despite the noise - “Don’t let Eggsy out of your sight. I don’t want him getting hurt.” 

Merlin inched closer, his eyes flashing with concern. “Are you expecting there to be trouble?” 

Harry shook his head immediately. “I’m just telling you this as a precaution. I’m sure the place is safe. Still, I’d rather not have to worry about the lad while I discuss matters with David.” 

Merlin finally nodded, patting Harry’s arm as signal for him to keep moving. The man said nothing as he moved towards the back of the club with infinite grace, scrunching up his nose in distaste at the smell of alcohol, smoke, sweat, and dirt, which filled the room. His nose was far too sensitive for his current setting. 

Finally he spotted the man, sitting with a rather good looking woman on a dim lit booth. Harry approached the two, aware that both Eggsy and Merlin were hot on his heels. 

He smiled at the man, tilting his head as he murmured “Is there a reason why you chose this place, David?” 

The man smiled as he stood up, offering Harry his hand. “Well Ella here likes to dance,” He said simply. 

“Ah, I see,” Harry said, keeping himself from commenting on the fact that what today’s youth considered to be dancing had a lot more to do with humping and grinding against another’s body than any actual dancing. “Well then let’s keep this short so that you are your… friend can go dance.” 

David nodded, turning to look at the lovely young woman. “Why don’t you go have some fun, Ella. I’ll be there soon.” 

The young woman nodded, giving Harry a withering look before moving to the dance floor. Harry didn’t bother to watch her go, nor did he pay attention as Merlin took Eggsy by the arm to go get themselves some drinks - well, at least to get Eggsy one. 

Harry sat back as the man took a long gulp of his drink. He tilted his head to his side before murmuring “So why did you call me here, David?” 

“Your vampires need to step down ,” ha said with a grunt. “They’ve killed three of my people already. I will not stand for-”

“It is not my people doing this,David,” Harry said, holding back a roll of his eyes. “Not every vampire out there is part of the clans, you know that. We have nothing to do with them.” 

“I don’t give a fuck whether they are your vampires or not, Hart,” the man said, finally turning to face the vampire king. “At the end of the day, you and those two pricks you call your co-leaders are the face of your race. If vampires start fucking around, then it’s _your_ fault. I am losing people and money because you can’t keep those fuckers in line.” He took another sip of his drink, trying to collect himself. 

Harry turned to look out to the crowd, not for the first time thankful that it was him who had decided to come and not Chester, or even Valentine. Valentine had more patience than Chester,  but he could be a pain in the ass when he wanted to be, and Chester… Chester was downright monstrous. The man would have slaughtered the entire room had a human dared disrespect him in such a manner, laws be damned. 

Suddenly Harry froze, his eyes narrowing on the image of Eggsy being led to the dance floor by the same young woman who had been sitting next to the idiot sitting next to him mere moments ago. He clenched his teeth hard as he watched her clasp her hands around Eggsy’s neck, all but ignoring the man sitting next to him. She began swaying to the beat of the music, closing in on Eggsy as she nosed her way up his neck. She was plastered to his chest as they swayed low, one of his legs in between hers. He didn’t seem particularly delighted, but he was certainly not upset about the turn of events.

Harry couldn’t hear what they were saying, not with all the chatter in the room, but he didn’t need to. He didn’t care whether they were talking about fucking or about the bloody weather. Their movements were enough to make him see red. 

How dare that woman touch his Eggsy like that? Harry was good at many things, but one thing he did not do was _share._ He hadn’t even gotten a chance of tasting the young man yet and someone was already daring to touch what was rightfully his? How dare they disrespect him like that? Did they not know who he was? What he was capable of?

“Are you fucking listening to me, Harry?” The man next to him finally snapped when he realized Harry wasn’t even paying attention to him. “You fucking-”

Harry suddenly seethed and grabbed the man by his throat, keeping him in place as he inched closer, his eyes murderous. “I have allowed you to disrespect me for long enough. I am not you peer, David, and you will do well to remember that. I could kill you in the blink of an eye, and no one would know, so do try to act like someone who values their life.” Harry squeezed a bit tighter, knowing the man still had enough room to breathe, but it was tight enough to _scare_. “We are already dealing with the problem, David, so you will wait until matters are resolved, and you will stop yapping about this nonsense.” 

Harry let go with one final glare. He quickly stood up, still running more on instinct than logic, and made his way to the dance floor, his burning eyes trained on Eggsy. The young woman saw him approach and he figured his expression was severe enough to scare her away for she quickly let go of Eggsy and made herself scarce. 

Eggsy frowned, unsure of what the hell had happened, before he spotted Harry standing rather near him, looking slightly… disheveled. It wasn’t that his appearance had changed, it was the fire in his eyes that made him look… savage, hungry for something Eggsy couldn’t quite tell what it was. 

“'arry?” The younger man said carefully, blushing slightly as Harry’s blood-red eyes turned to look at him. 

The man didn’t respond as he suddenly grabbed Eggsy’s hand and pulled him closer. Eggsy held back a squee as Harry placed his hand on the small of Eggsy’s back, their chests touching just barely. Eggsy scrambled for purchase, finding his balance by grabbing onto Harry’s broad shoulders. 

Suddenly the man began to move his hips softly as he stepped deeper into the dance floor, bringing Eggsy with him. The younger man’s eyes widened as he understood what was happening, feeling even more surprised when his body responded without him consciously deciding to follow Harry’s lead. Harry placed his other hand on Eggsy's waist, feeling the sensuous movement of Eggsy's very willing hips. 

Harry’s face was unreadable as he traced his hand up Eggsy back, feeling the hard muscles underneath the soft shirt. He traced his hand back down, pressing Eggsy even closer as he leaned down, his cheek brushing against Eggsy’s. 

The man took a moment to inhale Eggsy’s mouthwatering scent, feeling a savage need to get Eggsy out of there and ravage him, to take away the now noticeable smell that woman had left on Eggsy. 

“While I am all for you living your life in whatever way you want, Eggsy, I am going to ask you not to fraternize with my enemies, at least while I am here,” Harry said, his voice low and lethal. 

Eggsy froze in Harry’s arms, surprised by the ferocity hidden in Harry’s velvet soft voice. 

_So that’s what this was about. But why was he so angry?_

Harry finally let go of the younger man, knowing that if he stayed this close to Eggsy for even a second longer he would not be able to control himself. He whirled around and quickly made his way out of the club, breathing in the clean, cold night air. 

He shook his head as logic began to reawaken his mind. For fuck’s sake, how could he have fallen for something as base as jealousy? He had no right to monopolize the younger man like that. Eggsy had every right to shag whoever the hell he wanted, and Harry had no right to get angry about it. 

It was that simple.

And yet he wasn’t sure he was sorry about interrupting the two. He wasn’t sure if he felt sorry for letting his baser instincts take the reigns, even if for just a moment. 

He sighed again, feeling an urge to punch a wall. Clearly not feeding for so long was starting to be a problem. His primal instincts were more sensitive, and his willingness to control himself was dying down with every passing minute. 

He needed to fly for a bit, to just let go of his worries, of these infernal desires that were consuming him. And yet without blood… he wouldn't be able to transform. He knew he wouldn’t. 

Harry suddenly growled, letting his legs carry him away, gaining speed as he went. He may not be able to fly for now, but he could at least _run_.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another early chapter, yay! Lol
> 
> Well I hope you are enjoying the story. Comments and kudos are always appreciated ;)


	5. Chivalry, oh my king

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “To risk life to save a smile on a face of a woman or a child is the secret of chivalry.”  
> ― Dejan Stojanovic

“Master?” Roxy murmured with surprise as Harry slammed the door behind him. “are you alright? What happened?” 

Harry took a deep breath, coming closer to properly greet the woman. He kissed both her cheeks as he murmured “Nothing happened, dear. I just let my temper get the best of me for a moment.” 

“Where’s Merlin?” She immediately asked, holding on to Harry as she began to worry. 

“I imagine he is either still searching for me, or he is on his way back,” Harry said smoothly. “I’m afraid I took off rather hastily, and-”

“Harry you know you’re not supposed to do that,” Roxy said, forgetting to properly address Harry in her annoyance. “Merlin is going to have your head.” 

“I am sure he’ll agree with me that it was better that I left early,” Harry assured her, not completely convinced himself. “But regardless of what he’ll think, I am feeling rather tired, so I’m going to bed.” 

Roxy grabbed Harry by the arm, her eyes narrowing. “Harry are you alright?” 

“I’m perfectly fine dear, just a tad annoyed is all,” he assured her with a small smile, but the woman, having sensed a problem, wouldn’t let go. 

“You never feel tired, Harry, or at least you never admit it” She said, pulling Harry closer. “So, again I ask, are you feeling alright, master?” 

Harry opened and closed his mouth once, befuddled by Roxy’s intuitive nature. “I am… fine. I just need some rest,” he finally breathed out, taking a step back. “Do let Merlin know that I don’t want to be disturbed until tomorrow.” 

Roxy said nothing, knowing that she couldn’t push the issue any further. There was something obviously wrong, but Harry was nothing if not obstinate. He would not budge. No, she’d have to find another way to find out what the problem was. 

She would also have to tell Merlin once he came back home. Perhaps the man would know how to better handle the situation. 

————————————

“Are we going to pretend nothing happened last night?” Merlin murmured from where he stiffly stood near the door, watching Harry get ready. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Merlin,” Harry said smoothly, not deigning to look back at the man as he slicked his hair back, his gold ring glinting. 

The last thing he wanted right now was to talk to his brother. The man knew Harry far too well for comfort, and he would find a way to make Harry tell him absolutely every secret he had tried to keep for the past week. And, quite honestly, he wasn’t sure he wanted to look too deeply into any of it, especially not if it had anything to do with Eggsy. No, he did not want to touch upon that subject with a ten foot pole. 

It was bad enough as it was. 

“Harry you threatened a human, and then _left,_ ” Merlin said, his voice sounding strained as he tried to control his rising temper. “I’m sorry, but we can’t just avoid the subject.” 

“I got fed up with David, Merlin,” Harry said quickly, too quickly perhaps for the man merely gave him a stop-with-the-bullshit look. “Merlin can we do this later? We are already late.” 

“And since when have you cared about being on time?” The man scoffed, coming to stand in front of the door. “Harry-”

“It is kids we are talking about, Merlin. They don’t understand the concept of patience yet,” Harry said as he finally picked up his coat from a rather cozy armchair he had near his desk. “Besides, I have always enjoyed seeing human children.” 

“They are not that different from those from our own race,” Merlin noted critically, ready to call bullshit. 

Harry rolled his eyes. “And when was the last time someone in the palace had kids?” 

The bald man sighed but gave Harry a reluctant nod. “Fine, but you are not getting out of this one so easily, Harry,” Merlin warned, grabbing the man by the arm before he could exit. “We will talk as soon as we are back, is that clear?” 

Harry’s brows rose, feeling a prickling of annoyance at Merlin’s tone. While he didn’t mind his brother using such an authoritative tone on him, he still found it hard not to react. 

The idea that anything other than a subservient tone and polite language was considered to be a disrespect to the crown had been browbeat into him ever since his childhood, and it was hard to get out of the habit. 

“Of course, Merlin,” Harry said finally, giving the man a small nod before pushing the door open. “As soon as we’re back.” 

———————————-

Eggsy opened the door for Harry, trying to establish visual contact with the man to no avail. Harry’s mood swings were starting to grate Eggsy’s nerves. Honestly, what was it with the man? One night he was pushing everyone away, growling possessively in Eggsy’s ear, and the next day he was avoiding Eggsy’s gaze, looking worn and apologetic. 

There was something clearly bothering the vampire, but Eggsy didn’t know him well enough to pinpoint. Was it that he was attracted to Eggsy, or was it merely that he wanted his blood? Could he allow himself to dream it was actually him Harry wanted, and not his blood? 

Eggsy swallowed hard, smothering the thought immediately. He was not going down that rabbit hole. If he allowed himself to hope for that, then his own… crush on the man would become uncontrollable, and the last thing he needed was to fall for the fucking vampire king. 

So Eggsy took a minute step back, not wanting to look at Harry’s face more than he had to. The man’s face was just too… Eggsy didn’t even know how to explain it. It made Eggsy’s stomach do flips every time he laid eyes on Harry’s calm countenance, on that soft smile the man gave him before he covered it with a blank mask that only confused Eggsy. 

Harry stepped outside to the little courtyard that was filled with kids, all running around with big grins, their small legs carrying them far too fast for it to be safe. 

“Harry!” Exclaimed a blond woman, her eyes warming as soon as they landed on the vampire. She all but ran to his side and hugged him close, a small laugh escaping her. “What are you doing here?” 

“I thought I would surprise you,” the man said with a fond smile, making sure that his black umbrella continued to cover him as he looked down at the young woman. “It’s been many years since I last saw you, Tilde.” 

The young woman nodded, hugging Harry again as she murmured “I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to visit or not.” 

Eggsy watched the two silently, his heart twisting painfully inside his chest as something dark and possessive unfurled. He hated the way she got to touch Harry, the ease with which she held herself near the man. It was the kind of closeness Eggsy could only hope for.

He hated seeing Harry’s eyes turn warm and soft when looking at her. It just reminded him that he would never have that, which also brought up the question of why was it that he wanted that in the first place. He was a human for fuck’s sake. 

_But so was she._

Well it didn’t really matter. Eggsy was here to do his job, and soon enough Harry would be gone. His rather inconvenient crush would finally die, and he would be able to move on with his life. 

“You still haven’t told me why you’re here,” Tilde noted, raising a brow at Harry. 

“I was hoping you’d be able to talk to your father for me,” Harry admitted, a bashful look on his face. 

“Harry, you wanker,” She said with a knowing smile. “You’re only here because you need me.” 

“Well I also did want to meet the new kids in your class,” he said, knowing that he couldn’t lie to Tilde. The woman was too perceptive. 

“Fine, what do you want me to tell him?” She said, raising a brow. 

Before Harry could answer, however, a little girl approached him, smiling at the tall man. 

“Hello there,” Harry said with a smile of his own, crouching to look at the little one eye to eye. 

“Why do you have an umbrella, mister?” She asked immediately, tilting her head to the side as she looked at Harry with big, curious eyes. 

“Ah, I’m afraid my skin is rather sensitive,” he murmured, not knowing whether it was appropriate or not to tell a kid that the reason he couldn’t be under the sun was because he would quite literally burn to death. 

“I don’t like black umbrellas,” she said scrunching up her nose. “I like pink.” 

Eggsy smiled at the little girl, unable to keep his heart from melting at the sight of Harry with a child. The girl reminded him a bit of his own sister. While she had dark hair, unlike Daisy, her smile was as big as the one his sister gave Eggsy whenever he came to visit. 

“I like pink too,” Harry said in a hushed tone, as if confiding in her. 

“But then why don’t you have a pink umbrella?” She said, coming closer to Harry. “Why are your eyes red?” She blurted out all of a sudden, bringing her hands up to touch Harry’s cheeks. 

Harry froze minutely at the unexpected touch, but he allowed himself to relax as the girl went up on her tiptoes and pressed her nose against Harry’s , meeting his eyes with her own excited ones. 

“It’s alright, Merlin,” Harry murmured, sensing his brother’s discomfort. It was only because the girl was but four years old that Merlin hadn’t already bared his teeth at her for coming this close to Harry without the man’s explicit permission. 

“I was born with red eyes,” he said, closing an eyes as she brushed her fingers  softly against his eyelids. 

“They’re so pretty... I want red eyes,” she whispered in awe, before she squealed as she lost her balance. 

Harry caught her immediately with one arm, pressing her against his chest before she could fall. He met Eggsy’s eyes, as the younger man had immediately dived to catch her, and he felt his heart twist painfully as he pictured himself catching Eggsy. 

“Nice reflexes,” Harry said to the younger man. 

Eggsy blushed and looked away from Harry, not wanting the man to know how even such an innocent compliment was enough to get Eggsy all hot and bothered. 

“What’s your name?” Eggsy asked the little girl instead, hoping for a distraction. 

“Ally,” She said as she moved away from Harry to smile at Eggsy. “What’s your name?” 

“Eggsy,” the younger man said with a smile, before standing up. “Don’t you wanna go play with yer friends, Ally, until ‘arry ‘ere can talk to Miss Tilde?” He said nicely, half tempted to offer to play with the girl. 

“Alright,” She all but squealed out before she ran away to meet her friends.

Harry watched her go with a small, sad smile. He froze as he noticed a hooded figure near the playground. Harry saw the individual whip out a gun with a pale hand - a vampire’s hand - and he dropped his umbrella as he screamed “No!” 

He ran across the courtyard just as the man fired his gun, clearly aiming at the same little girl Harry had just been talking to. He pushed the girl out of the way, before he hissed out in pain, feeling the bullet lodge itself somewhere on his lower abdomen.

Harry fell to his knees as the sunlight hit him in full, his skin reddening immediately as it began to burn.

“Harry!” Both Merlin and Eggsy screamed. The bald man picked up the man’s umbrella as he ran to his side. He immediately covered the man from the sun as Roxy took off in a hurry, following the attacker as he tried to escape.  

“Harry your wound is not healing,” Merlin said with horror, looking as the man’s skin healed, but the wound continued bleeding. “Why the hell aren’t you healing?” 

“I haven’t had blood in almost a week, Merlin,” Harry admitted reluctantly, closing his eyes to avoid seeing the fury in his brother’s eyes. “It’s going to take longer to heal. I’ll be fine.” 

“We need to get you out of here,” Merlin growled, helping Harry up. “Eggsy get the car ready!” The vampire barked out. “We need to get back to the flat, _now_.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well you got this chapter 2 days early so yay!  
> I hope you're enjoying the story. I'll try to get you the next chapter by next Wednesday ;)


	6. He needs blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “I'm oxygen and he's dying to breathe.”  
> ― Tahereh Mafi, Shatter Me

They rushed through the city, reaching the flat in no time at all. Merlin hauled Harry into his arms bridal style, carrying him to his room faster than Eggsy could blink. He deposited the man carefully on the bed before kneeling next to Harry’s side of the bed. 

“Why the fuck have you not been drinking blood?” Merlin seethed as he stripped Harry out of his bloodied shirt. 

“I can’t seem to be able to hold down blood bags,” Harry whispered, still not meeting the man’s eyes. 

“What?” Merlin said, his eyes widening. “That’s impossible.”

“Well it’s happening,” Harry said with a roll of his eyes. “I am hoping that by drinking from the source the problem will go away.” 

Merlin took a second to look at Harry, before running out of the room, his eyes narrowed into two dangerous slits.

“Roxanne, call Tilde and tell her to bring a friend,” Merlin snapped as he appeared at the door, his hands tainted with Harry’s blood. “Tell them it’s urgent.”

“Merlin they won’t get here in time,” Roxy reasoned as she picked up the phone. “If he is still bleeding, and that wound isn’t healing Merlin. He needs blood _now_.” 

The man bared his teeth, his frustration bleeding through. “He can’t hold down blood bags, Roxanne. There’s nothing I can give him that will help.” 

Roxy paled even further, before finally picking up the phone. She ran to the other room, talking to someone in Norwegian. She came back out a few moments later with a piece of white cloth, her eyes looking lost and wounded. “It’ll take them at least another forty minutes to get here. She needs to pick up-” 

Merlin cursed, fisting his hands tightly. “That’s too long. I’m going to-”

“He can have my blood,” Eggsy blurted out, taking a step closer. 

He winced internally, a part of him screaming at his impulsivity. There was a reason why he hadn’t wanted Harry to take his blood. He didn’t want the man to think he was food. But did it matter? Harry was hurt, for crying out loud, and he needed something that Eggsy could easily supply. It didn’t matter whether or not Harry wanted him. Hell, it didn’t even matter that he was pretty much in love with the guy. 

Harry clearly didn’t want him, but the man needed him, and that was enough to get Eggsy up on his feet. 

Merlin seemed taken aback at the offer, for he gaped at Eggsy for a few moments, before finally murmuring. “Eggsy, we couldn’t ask that of you.”

“Good thing you ain’t asking,” the young man said as he walked decisively to Harry’s room. He took off his jacket in one smooth motion, coming to sit next to Harry. 

The man opened his tired eyes and gave Eggsy a remorseful look. “Eggsy-”

“I’m not sure how this works, ‘arry, so yeh are gonna ‘afta walk me through it alright?” Eggsy said, suddenly feeling far too nervous. 

Harry swallowed hard at Eggsy’s words, knowing that he’d be rather hard right now if he wouldn’t be in so much pain. He had been dreaming of drinking Eggsy’s blood for the past week, but never had he imagined he would actually get to have a taste. 

And he certainly hadn’t imagined it would happen under these circumstances. 

“Merlin,” Harry called softly, sitting up on the bed with some difficulty. 

The man immediately came in, Roxy hot on his heels. He looked between the two men, an unsure expression crossing his features. “Yes, Harry?” 

“I want you to stay here in case… Do whatever you must to keep Eggsy safe,” he said finally, giving Merlin a meaningful look. He did not dare, however, to look at the younger man in the eye as he explained “I’m afraid my control won’t be as good as it generally is, Eggsy.” 

There was no need to tell Eggsy that the reason why he had so little self control at the moment wasn’t necessarily related to the fact that he was copiously bleeding out and actually had a lot more to do with the fact that Harry was so obsessed with the younger man. 

Eggsy only nodded, coming closer as he said. “We don’t need Merlin. I trust yeh, ‘Arry.” Eggsy wasn’t exactly sure why, but there was a part of him that didn’t want anyone to watch Harry take him like that, it was something meant only for the two of them. 

“You shouldn’t,” Harry said immediately, his tone urgent. “Not in my current state.” He gave Eggsy a small, sheepish smile, before whispering “Please take off your shirt Eggsy. I don’t want it to get spoiled.” 

Eggsy stifled a moan at the way Harry said that, all breathy and sensual, making Eggsy’s skin tingle. The younger man blushed but did as he was told, quickly unbuttoning his shirt. He took off his shirt, unable to keep a smile off his face as he noticed Harry’s eyes glued to his pecks. He left it on the table before shuffling closer. 

Harry opened his legs, beckoning the younger man closer as his mouth watered rapidly. Eggsy turned around and sat in between Harry’s legs, exhaling a shaky breath when he felt Harry’s strong, broad chest press against his back. His heart was beating wildly in his chest, as if trying to make itself even more appealing to the man holding him. 

Harry nosed his way up and down Eggsy’s throat for a few seconds, the pain of the wound all but forgotten as his need to bite and _take_ grew stronger. He could feel his canines lengthen and sharpen, and he smiled with a deep inhale, drunk on Eggsy’s scent. He unconsciously slid a hand up Eggsy’s chest, pressing Eggsy infinitely closer, eliciting a sharp inhale from the younger man before the vampire opened his mouth and bit down. 

Eggsy’s eyes snapped closed, feeling a sharp pain explode on his neck the minute Harry dug his teeth in deep. The pain soon turned to pleasure, however, as his body and his blood answered like a sailor did a siren call. He clutched Harry’s hand, moving his head to the side to give the man better access, his breath coming out in harsh pants. 

Harry growled low in his chest, the animalistic sound making Eggsy shudder in Harry’s arms. Harry caressed Eggsy’s chest as he dived his hand lower to the younger man’s abdomen, Eggsy’s blood driving his senses into overdrive. It was like tasting liquid ambrosia, the warm blood awakening a side of him he had never encountered before. Everything felt too hot, the sheets, his pants, his very skin. There were too many layers between him and Eggsy, and he needed to touch him, to taste him, to _take him_. 

Harry had never had such an urge to mate as he did now, to flip the young man over and fuck into him hard and fast. His ears rang and his nails sharpened as he sucked big gulps of blood. He was distantly aware that Eggsy was moaning against him, whispering his name, which only served to make him harder. 

Eggsy moaned out Harry’s name again, unable to control himself as waves of mind numbing pleasure hit him like a wall of bricks, driving him deeper and deeper into the proverbial rabbit hole. He pressed against his own crotch, gasping violently as he became aware that he was hard as nails. He pressed back, hoping that Harry couldn’t tell how hard he was, only to find something solidly hard and phallic in nature bump against his bum.

_Fucking hell._  

“Harry,” Eggsy moaned out, again, squeezing his eyes shut. 

Suddenly someone grabbed him by his arms and he was violently pried away from Harry. He whined desperately, trying to fight however it was that was keeping him from Harry, but he stopped as soon as he noticed it was Merlin. 

Harry growled furiously from where he was on the bed, his eyes once again looking as red as blood. He sat up properly, baring his blood dripping teeth at his brother, looking ready to rip the man to shreds.  

How dare the man keep him from his darling? How dare the man deny both he and Eggsy their pleasure? 

“Harry stop it,” Merlin barked out angrily, baring his own teeth unconsciously. “If you take any more blood you’ll hurt him.” 

Harry suddenly froze, Merlin’s words enough to snap him out of his trance. He gave Eggsy an apologetic look before nodding. “Bandage his wound. I didn’t get to… please bandage it,” Harry said softly, his eyes looking sad and lost. 

Merlin nodded, grabbing Eggsy once again to support his weight. He guided the younger man back to the lad’s much lighter room, closing the curtain as soon as he came in before moving to  help him seat. Eggsy blushed profusely, very much aware that Merlin had seen him moan and whisper Harry’s name like a wanton tart

“I’m sorry, Merlin,” he whispered. “I-”

“There’s no need to apologize, lad,” Merlin said immediately as he moved to the bathroom to bring back a small first aid kid. “It’s not your fault.” 

“Isn’t it?” Eggsy said weakly. “I wanted ‘arry to-” Eggsy blushed again, not sure why he was telling the man this. 

“It’s normal, Eggsy,” Merlin assured him as he cleaned the bite mark. “Being bitten is a pleasurable thing, lad, and there are certain times - rare times - where we find a human being whose blood is particularly hypnotizing and they are particularly susceptible to pleasure.” 

“Eggsy blushed again, remaining quiet until Merlin finished addressing his wound. “So yeh mean I’m a special case?” 

Merlin shrugged. “Harry seems to be specially tuned to your blood,” Merlin admitted reluctantly. “I have never seen him enjoy himself like that.” Merlin suddenly froze, before coughing out awkwardly. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I-”

“No, I don’t mind,” Eggsy was quick to assure. “I’m glad to know it wasn’t me goin’ crazy ya know?” 

Merlin nodded, squeezing Eggsy’s arm softly before murmuring. “Well then, you should drink lots of liquids, and you should eat something. Also, do me a favor and sleep when you can. We don’t want this little incident to affect your health.” 

Eggsy nodded, his heart still beating wildly at Merlin’s explanation. “Will do, guv.” He watched Merlin go and a prickle of dread made its way into his heart. “Hey, Merlin, will ‘arry be a’right now?” 

Merlin smiled; leave it to Eggsy to worry about others before himself. “Yes, lad, he’ll be fine. We ‘ave called two other people, and between the three of you he should be able to consume enough blood to fully heal.” 

Eggsy’s heart dropped at that, his hands feeling numb. He watched Merlin go, his eyes looking glassy as he stood up to close the door. He ran to the bathroom, grabbing onto the sink for dear life. He looked at himself in the mirror, hating how rumpled, how debauched he looked. He hated how much it had affected him. 

He hated how much Harry affected him even when he didn’t have his teeth deep in Eggsy’s throat, because even if the man now meant so much to Eggsy, it wasn’t the same for Harry. 

Chester had said it. Eggsy was food. Yes, Harry had “enjoyed” himself more than ever before, but that didn’t stop him from needing another two people to sate his appetite. 

Fucking hell, Eggsy was being pathetic. Harry was hurt. He needed the blood. He couldn’t be so fucking petty about this.

But he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t help feeling angry at Harry for needing more blood than Eggsy could provide. He couldn’t help hating Tilde and her friend - in the deepest, darkest corner of his heart - because they got to experience the same thing Eggsy just had. 

He growled in frustration, pushing himself off the sink, shaking his head softly. 

Ok, he was being ridiculous. Harry didn’t see him as food. Harry had never said anything that could make him think that. And even if he did, it didn’t matter. 

_It couldn’t matter._  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So you got chapter 6 much much earlier than planned so you might have to wait a bit longer for 7, but I'm hoping to get it to you sometime early next week. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	7. Advice from a friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "You know how advice is. You only want it if it agrees with what you wanted to do anyway."  
> \- John Steinbeck

Harry sank deeper into the water, distantly considering what would happen if he just stayed underwater for the rest of the day. He would faint, of course, but he couldn’t say he was entirely against the idea of losing consciousness at the moment, especially considering his current predicament. 

He had known from the vey beginning that drinking Eggsy’s blood was a bad idea, and yet he couldn’t be blamed. It wasn’t like he had _chosen_ to get shot with a silver bullet. Still, the fact that Eggsy had chosen to offer Harry his blood seemed more like a joke the universe was playing on Harry than anything else. 

It had tasted heavenly, better than any of the presumptuous expectations he had had in that moment where he had been allowed to hold Eggsy close, to bask in the young man’s scent as he pressed his nose right against the soft skin of the Eggsy’s neck. 

It had been beautiful. 

But - as everything - it had come to a rather abrupt end. And, because the universe seemed to be hell bent on making Harry miserable, his appreciation for Eggsy’s blood had only grown. He had truly never tasted something like it. It was honestly ridiculous. There was no logical explanation behind the desires his body was experiencing. He had never, not once, heard of a vampire being this in tune with a human’s blood. It just was not a problem vampires had to deal with. 

So why did Harry’s more primal nature seemed so hell bent on possessing Eggsy? What was it about the young man? 

Harry wasn’t sure he wanted to know. 

Whatever this thing was, it was bound to end in heartache by the simple fact that Eggsy was human and Harry was not. His desire, which was quickly turning into something _much_ deeper than that, would never be accepted in the clan. He was one of the clan leaders for fuck’s sake. He could never take Eggsy as a partner, no matter how much he decided to daydream about it. 

god, the fact that he was daydreaming about it was bad enough. 

Still, after taking Eggsy’s blood, he had been able to drink both Tilde’s blood and her husband’s. He had to thank heavens for small mercies. 

He hadn’t tried blood bags yet, though. He wasn’t sure how far he wanted to push his luck. It was one thing to drink from the source. Harry sighed softly, rubbing his face with wet fingers. He would have to eventually get over his newfound fear of regurgitating blood previously consumed every time he drank from a blood bag if he was to try drinking from a blood bag again.

And he would probably have to get over it soon, considering how close Merlin was watching him. The man had taken to shadowing Harry’s every move. It had been fine the first day but now, after three days, Harry was starting to get on edge. He just wanted to sulk in peace. 

There was a soft knock on the door and Harry sighed, before whispering a soft “come in, Merlin.” 

The man was quick to enter, his face looking as impassive as ever. “Eggsy left,” he informed the vampire king, watching Harry’s reaction a bit too close for comfort. “He is set to report to his boss on the week’s progress. Would you like someone to follow him?” 

Harry winced at that, imagining Eggsy’s ire if he found out Harry had sent someone because he didn’t trust him. “No, it’s alright, just make sure he comes back safely.” 

If Merlin was surprised by Harry’s choice he didn’t show it, only nodding softly. “You should also get dressed,” the bald man said as he grabbed a towel and offered it to the other man. 

Harry frowned, feeling a tinge of annoyance. He had only just gotten in the shower. “And pray tell why do I have to do that?” 

“The vice president is here,” Merlin said with a cold smirk that he used when annoyed. 

Harry raised a brow. “I wasn’t aware he was coming,” Harry said, his voice on the shy side of angry. 

“Apparently, he thought that surprising you would give him an edge on negotiations,” Merlin said as he turned around to let Harry get up and wrap himself in the towel. “Roxy is downstairs with him, though his security team is getting restless.” 

Harry rolled his eyes, stepping out of the tub as he dried his hair. “Well, he came announced, so he can bloody well wait.” 

————————————

Eggsy sat in the back of the car, looking out the window without really seeing anything. He sighed softly, unconsciously caressing the side of his neck, where the mark Harry’s teeth had left behind was almost invisible now. 

He froze once he realized he was touching it again, feeling rage bubble up inside him. He brusquely moved his hand away, entertaining his fingers on his lap to keep himself from moving his hands any more than necessary. 

Honestly, he needed to get a grip. He had gone in to Harry’s room knowing it would be a one time thing. And yet he still found himself wishing that Harry would just push him against the nearest wall and bite his neck, kiss his lips, bruise his hips… fuck. 

Eggsy adjusted himself discreetly, a soft blush adorning his cheeks. Harry had definitely broken him. The pleasure he had felt that night was unlike anything he had felt before, and they hadn’t even done anything yet. So really, was it Eggsy’s fault that he now couldn’t stop daydreaming about Harry? 

_You’re not the only one_

Yeah… that was the problem wasn’t it? He had only gone into that room to help Harry out. It hadn’t been something special for the man. Merlin had explained it to him, the pleasure was normal. Everyone who was lucky enough to be selected by Harry got to experience that. He wasn’t special. He had just been convenient. 

Hell, the man had made that extremely clear by resuming his let’s-see-how-long-I-can-avoid-Eggsy bullshit. In fact, Eggsy was pretty sure it had gotten worse. He just needed to enter a room now for Harry to give him a look Eggsy had no idea what to do with, before practically running on the opposite direction. 

Hell, he was pretty sure the man had been nicer to Tilde than to him after he had taken her blood. 

Eggsy sighed again, shaken out of his reverie by the driver when they reached the office. Eggsy thanked him before quickly making his way inside, not staying in the lobby to chit chat with anyone like he would usually do after a mission. At this point he just wanted to go home. 

He reached Percival’s office quickly enough, avoiding everyone he saw by giving them a tight smile or by straight out pretending he couldn’t hear them calling him. Eggsy opened the door to Percival’s office without knocking, closing the door as if that alone would save him from having to interact with people. 

Percival looked up from the report he was holding in his hands, immediately frowning at Eggsy’s scattered look. “What happened?” He barked out immediately, piercing Eggsy with his gaze. 

The young man jumped at the suddenness of the question, plastering a rather convincing smile on his face as he came to sit down on his usual spot. “Nothin', bruv. Everything’s good.” 

Percival sighed, slapping the report on the table as he sat back, his arms crossed in front of his chest. “Bullshit, boy.”

Eggsy rolled his eyes, his posture turning slightly more defensive. “Look, Percy, can we just get the oral report over with? I just really wanna go sleep. I am tired. Also why the fuck are we doin’ oral reports? We’ve never done this shit.” 

“We are doing oral reports because it was the only way to get you out of Merlin’s constant vigilance,” Percival said turning on the small lamp that sat on his desk. “Besides, I wanted to see you in person.” 

Eggsy frowned. “Merlin ain’t that bad, bruv.” 

“No, no he’s not,” Percival admitted. “He’s just a nosy bastard. Besides, you know I’d much rather the clans keep their dirty claws off of any information we may discuss.” 

Eggsy leaned back, giving the man an unsure nod. He still had no fucking clue why Percival hated vampires so much. He could understand hating Chester, and even Valentine, but Harry and his clan had so far been nothing but graceful towards Eggsy and respectful of his privacy and his life. 

Honestly, the problem he was having was the opposite of hating them. He was starting to fall for one of them. Fuck, he needed to think of something else, and quickly. 

“You seem rather distracted,” Percival noted briskly, his eyes narrowing. “Is there anything you want to tell me?” 

Eggsy’s brows shot up and he immediately shook his head. “I told ya perce, everythin’ is fine. They ‘aven’t done anythin’ suspicious.” 

Percival suddenly stood up and circled his desk, yanking Eggsy up by his arm. He pressed the younger man closer, sniffing him a few times before growling softly. “Are they now? Then would you mind explaining to me why is it that you smell like Harry?” 

Eggsy pushed Percival away, his own anger rising. “I ‘ave been livin’ in the same house as them, Percival. What the fuck do you expect? Also how the fuck do you know what Harry smells like?” 

“Harry is not the only person in the house, Eggsy, and his is the only smell I can detect on you. Besides, it’s not that easy to leave a vampire’s scent on a human. Not unless-” Percival suddenly froze, his eyes becoming two narrow slits as he launched forward, savagely opening the first two buttons of Eggsy’s shirt to fully uncover his neck. 

Eggsy pushed Percival’s hands away immediately, hissing at the man. “What the fuck, Per-”

“Oh the fucker, of course he bit you,” Percival growled, walking away from Eggsy as he turned to face the now open windows to look at the dark city. “Fucking hell I honestly thought Harry was better than that,” he whispered, shaking his head softly. 

“He was shot, Percival,” Eggsy growled, feeling an inexplicable need to defend Harry. “He was hurt and he couldn’t hold blood bags down, and they couldn’t get someone to come quickly enough. He didn’t force me into anything. _I_ offered him my blood a’right? So calm the fuck down.” 

That seemed to greatly appease Percival for he turned to look back at the young man. “Has he taken blood from you since then?” 

Eggsy huffed, shaking his head. “He’s barely looked at me since then. He runs the other way every time he sees me.” He must have sounded bitter, for Percival’s laser-like gaze focused immediately on him. 

The man took a minute step closer, his eyes growing concern. “Eggsy do you-”

“Please don’t,” Eggsy said immediately, recognizing the tone. It was the same tone his mother used to use when he had a crush on a guy they both knew he’d never get. “It’s fine, Percival.” 

The man sighed, but didn’t push the issue. “Don’t let him take your blood again.” 

Eggsy nodded without looking at the man, feeling more than a bit of morbid curiosity behind the man’s reasoning. Hell, he had no idea why Percival had gotten that angry about the bite mark to begin with. It wasn’t that big of a deal, at least, that’s what Merlin had said. 

Eggsy immediately shook the thought out of his mind. Percival had always been a bit odd when it came about vampires, never giving anyone an explanation as to why. It was pointless to wonder. The man wasn’t about to start telling Eggsy about his life now. 

“So, um, do I ‘afta report something else, or can I go?” Eggsy said after a few seconds of awkward silence. 

“I suppose you can go,” Percival admitted with a tight smile. “There’s someone I have to talk to anyway.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Sorry for the delay guys. My life is... hectic right now, to say the least. I hope you enjoyed the chapter though!


	8. Old Acquaintances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “If I could go back would I do it differently? Well, I can't go back.”  
> ― David Mamet

Percival reached the front door of the flat, taking off his contact lenses in the darkness of the dim-lit street. He looked around, taking stock of everything around him. The place seemed to be deserted, which he assumed it was, considering the vampire king was staying here. 

They wouldn’t risk Harry’s safety by allowing the people that generally lived in the neighborhood to remain there. Not that anyone could really threaten Harry’s safety when the man was at the top of his game and was well fed. There was no vampire stronger than that man. Still, the clans were nothing if not cautious. 

Percival sighed, taking off his dark glasses to reveal his dark red eyes. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been outside without contact lenses. It was a strange, heady, almost freeing feeling. He had certainly missed it. Still, he much preferred his inconspicuous freedom over walking around without the need of a costume. 

Finally he approached the door, forcing the door open with minimal effort. He knew they’d notice soon enough, but he didn’t mind. He was quite sure Harry wasn’t going to turn him away. He raced up the stairs, feeling a gun press against the back of his head as soon as he reached the landing. 

He smiled softly, immediately bringing his hands up to show he meant no harm. “I see your hearing is as good as always, Merlin,” Percival commented softly, hoping the man would recognize his voice before deciding to shoot. 

“You’re lucky I still recognize your walking pattern. You wouldn’t be alive otherwise,” Merlin said dangerously, his eyes narrowed. “I never expected to see you again, Percival,” the man said, his voice guarded, sounding almost monotone. “To what do we owe the pleasure?” 

“I heard Harry was in town, and decided to come for a little chit chat,” the man drawled out, knowing his excuse sounded like the lie it was. 

“It’s alright, Merlin,” Harry murmured suddenly, coming out of the shadows to stand in front of the moon-lit window. “Hello, Percival,” Harry said softly, his warm holding a tinge of warmth. 

“Harry,” the man said with a small, courteous nod, his voice sounding unusually cold. “It’s been quite a while.” 

“Indeed,” Harry murmured with a small smile, noticing Percival’s tense shoulders. “I wasn’t expecting to see you.” 

Percival hummed, looking around as he tried to listen for Eggsy’s heartbeat. He couldn’t hear anything. 

Harry noticed the man’s movements and tensed slightly. “What are you doing, Percival?” 

The man froze, suddenly smiling. “Your reflexes are faster than what I remembered,” the vampire praised, taking a step back. “I wanted to see if Eggsy was back yet or not.” 

Harry’s brows shot up yet again, trying to keep himself from gaping. “You know Eggsy?” 

“Are any of Chester’s people here, Harry?” Percival asked instead of answering the question, still looking around for all possible exits. He disliked going into a place without knowing his escape routes, but this had been rather impromptu and thus he hadn’t been able to afford himself the luxuries. 

“No, they are not,” Harry assured him, still staring at the man with curiosity. “You know I don’t generally travel with them.” 

“It’s never a bad thing to make sure,” Percival replied easily, relaxing slightly at the confirmation that his old enemies were nowhere to be found. 

“You are avoiding the question,” Harry noted, sounding slightly annoyed as he titled his head. “How do you know Eggsy?” 

Percival smiled, moving closer to Harry. “I’m his boss.” 

Percival stifled a laugh at Harry’s stunned look. “You were the one that sent him to me?” Harry murmured, making sure to keep his voice as blank as possible. 

Percival nodded, his mood sobering. “I sent you one of my best agents, Harry. He’s a good man,” Percival said, his voice tinged with pride. “So you’ll imagine my surprise when I found that you had fucking _bitten_ him.” 

“Ah, so that’s why you’re here,” Harry said, sounding at least slightly bashful. 

“I honestly did not expect to have to do this, not with you,” Percival said, sounding disappointed. “I thought you of all people would be better than that.” 

Harry frowned, feeling suddenly defensive. “Better than what, exactly? I have not harmed the boy, if that’s what you’re worried about.” 

“You bit him, Harry,” Percival snapped, stalking closer. “He is not your food or your play toy. Were you not the one angry at Chester for treating humans as such? Or is it that he has finally convinced you?” 

Harry growled, his relatively good mood quickly shattering at Percival’s jab. “How dare you,” he seethed, the room suddenly feeling darker. “I would never use him as food. The only reason I drank from him, Percival, was because I needed blood. It may come as a surprise to you, but I actually care about Eggsy.” 

“And yet you avoid him when he is not useful,” Percival pointed out, hands on his hips. “Stop trying to play games with me, Harry.” 

“That’s not why I avoid-” Harry suddenly closed his mouth, reaching an impasse. He couldn’t exactly tell Percival why he avoided Eggsy, and yet - out of everyone - the bastard might be the one to understand him the most. “I am trying to keep him safe by keeping him out of this, Percival,” Harry said through gritted teeth. 

Percival suddenly frowned, clearly not expecting that answer. “What do you mean keep him out of this? What is going on Harry?” 

“Nothing is going on,” Harry said quickly, perhaps too quickly for the man gave him a dubious look. “Look, Percival….Yes, alright, Eggsy’s blood is… incredibly attractive to me,” Harry admitted, not looking at the man in the eye. “However, I can assure you he is much more than that. I’m not blind. He is loyal, and brilliant, and funny. He has a wealth of potential and-”

“Oh, Harry,” Percival sighed, giving the man a sympathetic look. “Please tell me you are not attracted to him.” 

Harry bit his lip, turning to face the window. “That is inconsequential, Percival.” 

“So that’s why you are avoiding him,” the man said quietly, coming to stand next to Harry. He clasped the man’s shoulder, squeezing gently. “I’m sorry, Harry. If I would have known I would have never sent him.” 

Harry chuckled softly, hollowly, half wondering whether he would have preferred never to have met Eggsy at all. No, in truth he was rather happy he had met him. The boy was bright, and a joy to be around. His… crush would soon die down. 

“It’s alright,” Harry murmured, feeling a bit more confident. “It’s nothing serious,” he assured the man, hoping that his words were as true as they sounded. “I’m sorry if I gave Eggsy the impression that he was just food,” Harry said suddenly, feeling a pang of guilt. “I will… talk to him in the morning.” 

“Don’t,” Percival said immediately. “He’ll push until you tell him why, and he will push for the truth. It’s an argument you don't want to get into, especially since any relationship between the two of you is impossible. He’s a big boy, he’ll be fine.” 

Harry hesitated, not sure whether Percival’s practicality was applicable this time around. A part of Harry couldn’t leave Eggsy thinking that all vampires thought of humans as just food. Still, the man was right. It did not matter if Harry liked Eggsy, or even if the boy liked him back - which didn’t seem to be the case considering that Percival was telling him not to say anything. Harry was a vampire - a head of the clan at that - and Eggsy was not. 

They remained quiet for a few more tense moments, before Harry finally murmured “why did you end up here?” 

Percival turned to look at Harry, a wry smile tugging at his lips. “He’s here… so I’m here. What else did you expect?” 

Harry frowned, tilting his head “have you still not made a move?” 

Percival clenched his jaw, glaring at Harry. “He’s human, Harry. I cannot make a move, as you say.” 

“You could change him,” Harry argued, placing his hands inside his pockets. “He could remain with you.” 

“Are you mad?” Percival murmured, his eyes fiery. “Change him? I’m not an alpha prime, Harry. I cannot change him. Who would you have me ask? Chester? He’ll have me and James killed on the spot.” 

Harry bit his lip, looking out the window again. He had known Percival for many years. They had been close friends once upon a time, before they had been forced to grow up, before Chester had tarnished their hearts, before Harry had become one of the three kings; before Harry had become untouchable and venerated by all.

Yes, they had been friends when times had been simpler. It had been a friendship doomed to end by the very blood running through Harry’s veins, by the power resting there. 

It was sad really to think of how close they had once been, considering that now they were no more than old acquaintances on a good day and enemies on a bad one. It was sad that now they looked at one another with cold calculation, neither knowing a single thing about the other anymore. 

“I could change him for you,” Harry whispered, still not looking at Percival. “We can do it before I lea-”

“No,” Percival snapped immediately, taking a shaky breath. “You know how badly a fledgling is seen. They are ostracized when they are not killed. I will not put James through that-”

“We do not ostracize them,” Harry said, albeit weakly. “You know I have no problems with the fledglings. It’s-”

“You are a rare exception, Harry,” Percival snapped, turning once again to face Harry. “Yes, _your_ clan is slightly more accepting than the other two. I, however, do not belong to your clan. Chester will eventually find out. And then what? Are you willing to risk war within the clan to change one human for me?” Percival shook his head. “Don’t be ridiculous, Harry. Besides, we don’t even know what he would present as. The chances of us actually being able to be together is almost nonexistent.” 

“So you’d rather not even try?” Harry said his voice sounding pained. “Percival, you should at least try to-”

“Would you?” Percival challenged, keeping himself from baring his teeth. “If you were me would you?” 

Harry opened his mouth as if to speak before closing it again. “I apologize, I shouldn’t try to question your reasoning,” Harry murmured, breaking the rising tension in the room. 

He looked at Percival, suddenly feeling like they were worlds away. “Was there anything else that you needed?” 

Percival shook his head, knowing  a polite goodbye when he heard one. “As long as you stay away from Eggsy, we’re good,” Percival said, turning around to leave. 

Harry nodded, sighing softly as he watched Percival walk away. “Have a good life, Percival,” Harry whispered, making the man stop cold on his way to the door. 

He half turned, seemingly wanting to say something. For a moment, his eyes were as soft as they had been many years, his face as open as a child’s. And then the moment was gone, leaving behind an extremely well guarded vampire who had a keen aversion against the clans. 

“You too, Harry. Don’t forget yourself on the way,” Percival murmured darkly, before finally running out of the room, leaving behind only the faint smell of lilies and wine. 

Merlin sighed softly, pushing himself off of the wall. He turned to look at Harry, his eyes half sad, half calculating. “So this isn’t just about his blood then?”

Harry gave Merlin a half smile, fighting the urge to shrug. “It’s inconsequential. He’s a human, Merlin. There’s no need to worry. I’ll forget him soon enough.” 

Merlin nodded, clearly not convinced but not wanting to push. “Have you tried blood bags?” 

Harry shook his head, but quickly added “I’m hoping that we can leave tomorrow, Merlin. I have one last meeting in the morning. I can try once we’re back home.” 

Merlin sighed but nodded, knowing there was no use trying to convince Harry. “Well, if you have to leave in the morning, then at least get some rest.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the delay but apart from being busy, thanksgiving weekend hit me unprepared, and I couldn't even get to my computer until yesterday night. 
> 
> Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	9. Bite and Run

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flying might not be all plain sailing, but the fun of it is worth the price.  
> Amelia Earhart

Harry was woken rather early in the morning by Merlin, who had the gall to stride in and yank the covers away before turning on the light. Harry groaned in annoyance, feeling like punching Merlin when he realized that it wasn’t even light out yet. 

“Why the bloody hell did you wake me up?” Harry groaned, flopping down onto his pillow again, bringing the covers back up as he rearranged himself to sleep. “I don’t have to get ready for the meeting for another two hours, Merlin.” 

“For fuck’s sake, Harry, get up,” Merlin snapped, his voice holding an urgency that made Harry open his eyes, albeit resentfully. “The meeting won’t be happening.” 

Harry’s brows shot up, and he finally pushed himself up, frowning at Merlin. “What do you mean it won’t happen? Did they cancel?” 

“Bors and Kay had the night watch today,” Merlin explained quickly as he ran to Harry’s closet, taking out a pristine white shirt and a pair of trousers he threw on the bed before moving to get out a pair of boxers and an undershirt. “They found a large group of humans closing in. They seem to have set up a few meeting places in the area, and somehow they found out that you are here. They are gearing up to attack as soon as the light is out.” 

Harry got out of bed without further protest, stripping out of his soft black pajama pants and shirt. “When is the sun coming out?” 

“In about fifteen minutes,” Merlin murmured, yanking the last drawer of Harry’s dresser open. He took out a large black metal box hidden there, pressing his thumb against the side of the box, where a print recognition scanner laid. There was a soft ping, a clicking sound, and then the lid suddenly gave way, allowing Merlin to pull it off. He took out two slick black handguns, and a number of knives. 

The man ran out of the room, weapons in hands, leaving a stunned Harry behind. 

“What are you doing?” Harry murmured as he finished buttoning his shirt, running out to meet Merlin in the living room, where both Roxy and Eggsy stood talking, both looking like they had just rolled out of bed and had thrown something on. 

Merlin turned to look at the man, an incredulous look on his face. “Is it not obvious? We don’t have enough time to leave before they get here. You don’t have enough blood in your system to transform, and running is out of the question since they have laid traps meant for that. The only way out is by car.” 

“Merlin we are not going to kill them,” Harry said, his tone brooking no argument. “That’s exactly what they want. Do you know how quickly the story will spread if they hear that the very clans are killing humans?” Harry shook his head, taking the guns from Merlin’s hands. “I will not start a war when I’ve spent the last weak trying to avoid one.”

“Then what do you propose we do, Harry? I will not let the humans harm you. If any harm comes to you, the clan will be thirsting for blood. They will lay waste to both the humans that dared harm you and the innocent ones that don’t even know what is happening.” Merlin took the weapons again. “We can try to spare their lives, but-”

“Harming them is just as bad as killing them,” Harry said with an annoyed grunt, resting his hands on his hips. “It can’t come down to that. We need to reason with them-”

“Reason with them?” Merlin looked at Harry as if he had grown another head. “Are you mad? They are here to kill you. They don’t care about what you have to say, brother. Don’t be ridiculous, Harry, we are just wasting time.” 

“If we transform we can get out of here fast, and no one will notice,” Roxy suddenly chimed in, looking at the two men.  

Merlin shook his head. “Harry hasn’t eaten anything since he was attacked. They won’t be restocking the blood bags until later today, and we don’t even know if Harry’s body will react well to blood bags.” He turned back to Harry. “We need to take the car. I know you don’t want-”

Harry rubbed his eyes, his temper flaring. “Merlin-”

“You can just take my blood again,” Eggsy murmured, not looking at Harry. He hadn’t really talked to the man since that day where Merlin had pried him off of Harry, but not because he hadn’t talked to him meant he had not thought of Harry every day. 

He knew it was probably not his greatest idea to offer his blood to his crush, especially after he had promised Percival not to let Harry do that again, but there was a part of him - the part that wanted Harry to take his blood - that new that Harry needed him. 

Harry whirled around to face Eggsy, his eyes widening. “What?” 

“It helped last time didn’t it?” Eggsy said defensively, shrugging. “You can take my blood and leave quickly.” 

It suddenly dawned on Harry that humans couldn’t transform. Even if he did transform and escape, he couldn’t carry Eggsy with him. He would have to leave the boy weak and unprotected. 

“No,” he murmured immediately. “No, Eggsy, I will not put you in danger-”

“Harry you didn’t hurt me last time,” Eggsy snapped exasperatedly, moving closer. “I’m fine. Just-”

“Eggsy I will not leave you here,” Harry snapped, this time more forcefully. He straightened his back, desperate to make Eggsy understand that while Harry appreciated his loyalty, it was not a viable plant. “They will kill you if they find you here.”

“I’m a human,” Eggsy reasoned. “They won’t kill a human.” 

“You are a human that willingly helped the clans,” Harry noted, placing his hand under Eggsy’s chin to make him look up. “They will think you a traitor to your race. You will be killed, and I refuse to let any harm come to you.” 

“You’d rather start a war then?” Eggsy snapped, sounding annoyed. 

_Yes._

Harry froze, surprised by the ferocity and thurthfulness of his thoughts. He would rather start a war than see Eggsy be harmed. He would not let Eggsy be harmed by the pitiful creatures who were out for Harry’s throat. 

He would kill them all - gladly - if it meant keeping Eggsy save. 

Eggsy looked at Harry’s face, frustrated that he could not read the man, especially not when he was this guarded. Still, he took the man’s silence to mean agreement, and he undid the buttons of his shirt quickly, yanking it down to expose his neck. 

He bared his neck, feeling desire pool at his groin at the way Harry’s red eyes dilated immediately, the man’s want too obvious to miss. “C’mon, Harry. We don’t ‘ave much time. Just-”

Harry staggered backwards, slamming an iron fist of self control against his thirst. “No, Eggsy. If I drink from you, you will be too weak to leave. I will not have you indisposed when we have a hoard of humans coming.” 

“You could leave him with me,” Roxy suggested, stepping closer to the trio. “I can get us both out, before anyone can notice.” 

“No, Roxy-”

“Merlin, I drank blood yesterday. I am fine. I can incapacitate them without hurting them, and I can get Eggsy and myself out,” she insisted, looking determined. “We will meet at the extraction point.” She came closer and cradled Merlin’s cheeks, making him look down at her. “It will be fine, love. We just need to move fast.” 

Eggsy watched Merlin clench his jaw, clearly not convinced by Roxy’s plea. He rolled his eyes, taking out his pocket knife and bringing it up to rest against his own jugular. He was done trying to reason with this lot. They didn’t have the time to fuck around. Harry needed blood, and he could provide. 

He looked at Harry, his eyes hard, and said. “If you don’t drink from me Harry, I will bleed out. Stop arguing and just take my blood, will ya? We don’t ‘ave the time. I don’t even know why we are arguing. I’m just food to you. I always ‘ave been, and I always will be. So do as that posh wanker told yeh and stop playing with your food.” 

Harry froze, surprised the venom in Eggsy’s voice. So Percival had been right. Eggsy really did think Harry thought of him as food. Dear god, he had made a mess of the entire situation, and all because he had ignored Eggsy because he had been afraid of his intense want for the young man. 

Fucking hell he needed to fix this, but there was no time. He needed the time to sit down with Eggsy and apologize. He also needed to clarify what he meant with “the posh wanker”, because Harry had the feeling Eggsy was talking about Chester, and if he was then their conversation was going to take much more than just an apology. 

Fucking Chester. 

“Eggsy-” Harry began, but was promptly cut off by Merlin. 

“Harry just do it. Eggsy is right. We don’t have time.” He looked back at Roxy, squeezing her hand, which he was now holding in his own. “Roxy will keep him safe.” 

Harry bit his lip, looking at Merlin while scrambling to find a different solution, before finally nodding. He stepped closer to Eggsy, feeling the now familiar urge to kiss him. He took the knife away, sliding it into Eggsy’s pocket. He cradled Eggsy’s face gently, tilting the younger man’s head to the side, before tracing one of his hands down the side of Eggsy’s neck that he wasn’t going to drink from. 

He closed his eyes as he allowed his fangs to come out. He felt his canines lengthen and sharpen as saliva quickly pooled in his blood, his eyes darkening as he opened his mouth. He looked at Eggsy just before sinking his teeth in. This time, he was ready for the rush of adrenaline that came with drinking from Eggsy. He allowed the, now more familiar, pleasure to take a hold of his body, but he made sure to let his mind stay in control. 

He was unable to hold back a moan as Eggsy scrambled for purchase, throwing his arms around Harry’s neck as he arched his back. Eggsy felt his body tingle with desire, feeling his groin hardening embarrassingly fast as Harry grabbed him by his waist and pulled him closer, rubbing comforting circles on his hips. 

With a final gulp, Harry pulled away, licking his lips obscenely to not waste a single drop of blood. Eggsy looked up at him with heavy lidded eyes, conscious that the only reason he was still standing was because Harry was holding him up by the waist. Harry seemed to be aware of this too for he didn’t let Eggsy go, instead he pulled him closer, accommodating to the younger man’s weight. 

They looked at each other in the eye, neither really breathing as the air cackled with the electricity sparking from their bodies. Eggsy couldn’t help but feel a pang of smugness at the debauched picture Harry made. The man’s hair was out of place and - while his canines were no longer visible - he still looked like a feral animal filled with lust. Harry too was unable to keep himself from straying his eyes down to Eggsy’s plump lips, distantly wondering if Eggsy would mind Harry kissing him. 

Before he could go through with the thought, however, Merlin cleared his throat, snapping them both out of their trance. 

“It’s time to go Harry,” Merlin said somberly, giving his brother a knowing look. 

“Right,” Harry said, clearing his throat. He put Eggsy down, letting him go slowly so that he would not fall. When he was sure Eggsy could stand on his own two feet without his help, he stepped back. He clamped down on the urge to kiss Eggsy, to tell him that this did not mean he was food. 

Now was not the time. He would come back and clear things up. He would not leave until without talking to Eggsy. He just needed to be patient. 

With a final nod, he turned around and walked towards the large window, where Merlin was waiting for him. He looked back at Roxy and murmured "take care of him, please." 

He turned back around as soon as he saw Roxy nod and he closed his eyes, letting the cold night air ensnare his senses. He pictured his body shrinking in size and becoming hollow. He imagined himself being weightless as a leaf flying through the air on a cold autumn afternoon. He cleared his minds of any worries and any rage still lurking around, instead focusing on the though of Eggsy’s smile. He felt his body relax immediately, becoming pliant to his mind. He breathed out slowly, feeling a sharp stab of pain as his body shifted. He extended his palms and quickly brought them down as he would his wings, and then opened his eyes. 

He batted his wings quickly as he looked back at Eggsy’s awed expression. He didn’t dwell on it, however, as a strong desire to take flight took over him, his body sensing the danger he was in. He immediately flew out the window, the frigid air hitting his wings rather harshly as he went higher and higher up, soon reaching the low clouds were no human would be able to see him.

He could sense Merlin, Bors, and Kay all near him, flanking his sides, ready to push Harry out of the way if necessary. He didn’t care about that at the moment, though. He couldn’t care about anything at the moment, if he was honest, for he was flying again. It had been too long since he had tasted the freedom of flight, the freedom to just extend his wings and let go. Let go of the confusion plaguing his mind, of the convoluted emotions that seemed to be his new state of being, and of the infuriating want for Eggsy he seemed to have no control over. 

He could pretend he wasn’t flying to avoid killing humans. He could pretend he was a child again. He could pretend he was doing this just because he could, because he enjoyed it, because it made him feel carefree. 

Roxy and Eggsy watched them go from the window for a few seconds, before Roxy grabbed Eggsy by the wrist as she murmured “C’mon we have to go.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah I hope you enjoyed it! 
> 
> I am hoping to get you the next chapter sometime next week.


	10. Broken Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.”  
> ― J.M. Barrie

Eggsy turned to look at Roxy, finally snapping out of his reverie. He had never seen anything quite like it. He had figured Harry’s transformation would be some grotesque, slow process where the vampire’s body would shrink and hair would grow. 

He had not been expecting there to be a cloud os smoke that kept Eggsy from actually seeing much more than Harry batting his arms before suddenly becoming one with the smoke that then somehow defied the laws of physics and turned into a rather large bat. 

Still, it had been a pretty bat. 

Wait, no, scratch that. Bat’s were not pretty. Why the fuck was he thinking of bats as pretty? 

“Eggsy,” Roxy snapped, tugging at his wrist again to get him to move. 

 “Right, sorry,” he said, clearing his throat. He fixed his shirt, surprised to find that the little marks on his neck were no longer bleeding. “What-“

 “Harry licked your wound,” Roxy explained. “He was in control this time, so he took just a bit of blood, and made sure to close the wound.” 

 “By licking me?” Eggsy murmured skeptically, not sure whether or not he was disgusted by that. 

Roxy rolled her eyes, picking up the two guns Merlin had left behind. She handed one to Eggsy before she turned to the couch to pick up a small briefcase where they had stored all the sensitive information they had brought with them. 

“I thought Harry said we weren’t supposed to shoot anyone,” Eggsy said coldly, not expecting Roxy to be the one to break the rules. 

“The weapons are just a precaution,” she said calmly. “I do not intend to use the weapons.” 

“How are yeh plannin’ to get us out?” Eggsy asked, more curious than anything. 

“We’re walking to the tube, and then we’re taking a train out of the city to Essex. We’ll stay there until tonight to let the fire die down, and then we’ll come back to London,“ Roxy said quickly, reaching the door in no time. “Come on, we need to move quickly. The hardest part will be leaving this building.” 

“Why Essex?” Eggsy asked as he followed Roxy down the hallway. “Also how the fuck do ya plan to walk to the tube when there are a shiton of people waitin’ for us outside?” 

“We have a safe home in Essex,” Roxy explained as she directed Eggsy down the stairs, pushing him to the side the minute she heard a man coming up the stairs. She pressed her hand against his mouth to keep him quiet, his body tensing at the sudden movement. 

He forced himself to stay quiet, however, as the noises finally became loud enough for Eggsy to pick up on. He squirmed slightly to get out of Roxy’s iron hold, but her inhuman strength gave her the upper hand. 

“Stay still,” she snapped quietly enough for only Eggsy to hear, before closing her eyes. She frowned softly, taking a deep breath as she quieted her mind. She felt the oxygen particles moving all around the building, felt them touching Eggsy’s skin, and the man running up the stairs. 

She breathed out softly, forcing the particles to disperse on the lower floor, leaving the man deprived of Oxygen. After a few seconds she heard the loud thud of his body falling to the ground, and she immediately allowed the particles to rush back into place, smiling softly once she heard a soft intake of breath. 

“Alright, let’s go,” she said, taking Eggsy’s hand again, pulling him along as she climbed down the stairs, stepping over the body of the unconscious man. 

Eggsy yanked his hand out of Roxy’s hold, his eyes widening with surprise. “Oh my god, what the fuck did yeh do to him? Is he dead?” Eggsy murmured as he crouched, looking scandalized. “How the fuck-”

“He’s not dead, just unconscious,” Roxy was quick to reassure, grabbing Eggsy’s hand again. “Come on, Eggsy, we don’t have time,” she snapped as she pulled him to his feet again. 

He followed, albeit more unwillingly than before. “How the fuck did ya do that?” 

“Remember how Merlin mentioned Harry had abilities?” Roxy murmured as she pushed the basement door open, taking Eggsy through the back. “Well, he’s not the only one with powers. It’s a long story, but basically there are a number of us that have… special abilities I guess you could say.” 

“So, what, yeh can make people faint?” Eggsy asked, still sounding skeptical. 

“What? No, I can control oxygen particles and how they move,” She murmured, pushing the back door open, gasping as she came face to face with a number of human rebels. 

She immediately stepped in front of Eggsy, her eyes shining as she quickly dispersed the oxygen particles, cutting off their air supply before they realized what was happening. One of the men raised his gun, his face going red without oxygen, and he shot his gun before collapsing on the ground. 

Roxy grunted, feeling the bullet graze her arm. She looked to the side, clamping down on the sudden rage that coursed through her body. She had promised Harry she would hurt no humans, and she intended to keep her promise, no matter how much they tried her patience. 

“Are you okay?” Eggsy whispered immediately, coming to stand next to Eggsy. “Oh no, Roxy you are hurt. We need to get you.” 

Roxy smiled, feeling the sudden urge to hug Eggsy. This was exactly why she had sided with Harry all those years ago. Yes, there were despicable humans that dared threatened her people, but then there were people like Eggsy, who were kind and loyal and gracious. 

“I’m fine, Eggsy,” she said after a few seconds, squeezing the younger man’s hand. “It’s just a graze. Don’t worry, it’ll heal in no time.” 

She took Eggsy’s hand again and kept going, ignoring the pain that flared up every time she took a step. This was certainly not the worse pain she had suffered, and she hadn’t been lying when she had said it would heal quickly. She was sure the wound would be gone by the time they reached the train station. 

Not that Merlin would be any happier about it. Not that Roxy was about to let him find out, of course; she would simply change clothes at the safe house in Essex. 

———————————

They reached a small house, both looking tired and miffed. They had spent all day running around both because Roxy was paranoid and because they had had to fix the mess they had left behind in London. They had had to talk to a myriad of people - including Percival - to finally be able to come to the safe house to rest. Roxy pressed her palm against thedoor, leaving it there until the print recognition system finished scanning her palm. She heard the faint click of the lock being undone, and she pushed the door open, waiting for Eggsy to enter before closing the door again. 

Eggsy entered deeper into the small, old, house, surprised to find it so well furbished. it was probably the most comfortable safe house he had stepped a foot in.  

“So what now?” Eggsy murmured, turning back to face the petite vampire. 

“Now we wait,” she said as she walked past Eggsy towards a large closet. “Harry won’t be meeting with anyone else, not after what happened today, so I guess we’ll just go back home.” She smiled softly, the thought of home enough to lift her spirits. 

Eggsy’s heart fell to his feet at that, his mind racing as the reality of Harry’s departure finally hit home. He had avoided thinking about it ever since he had admitted to himself that maybe he liked Harry more than he ought to. He hadn’t been given an end date, and so he had decided to pretend there wasn’t actually one. But reality could be avoided for only so long. Harry was a vampire, a fucking vampire king at that, and Eggsy was human. 

Besides, it wasn’t like Harry had shown any interest in Eggsy, other than in his blood of course. Yes, he had been rather attentive at first when they had talked, and he had dazzled Eggsy with his charm, but that didn’t mean anything. 

Perhaps it was for the best that Harry had to leave. But Eggsy couldn’t say he wanted to see the man again. He wasn’t sure how he’d react and there was no way in hell he was embarrassing himself in front of Harry. 

“Right,” Eggsy murmured, walking back to the door.

Roxy immediately ran to the door, a frown on her face. “Where do you think you are going?” 

“Home,” Eggsy said, raising a brow at Roxy. “Yeh lot are goin’ back to yer home, so I’m goin’ back to mine.” 

Roxy shook her head, her frown becoming more pronounced. “It’s too dangerous. You’ll-”

“No it isn’t,” Eggsy said immediately, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Roxy, I am a human. I am going to take a train from Essex back to London like all humans do. They are not even gonna notice me,” Eggsy insisted. “C’mon, Roxy, I am not needed here anymore. I can go be productive,” he all but whined. 

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “No, Eggsy. It’s-”

“Rox, we’ve been out all day and they didn’t even recognize us,” he said as he grabbed her hand, trying to move her away to no avail. “I just wanna go home.” 

After a few more seconds, she finally sighed, taking out her phone. “You can only go if you take this with you,” she murmured like a mother would to a misbehaving toddler. 

Eggsy frowned, starting to get annoyed. “Why do I need to take yer phone?” 

“It has a tracker on it,” she said dryly. “I want to know that you got home safe. Also, if something happens just press this button.” She signaled a small button on the back of the phone, “and I’ll know you need help.” 

Eggsy sighed but took the phone, knowing it was the only way to get Roxy off his back. “A’right, can I go now?” 

She nodded, offering Eggsy her hand one last time. “Thank you for everything, Eggsy.” 

He shook her hand with a wink, only letting his smile drop once he was out the door. 

——————————

Eggsy opened the door quietly, dropping his keys on the key bowl near the door, before taking his shoes off. He groaned softly, the delicious feeling of wriggling his toes free making him smile. He took off his jacket and rolled his shoulders back, his back cracking as he let the tension of the day finally seep out. 

He walked quietly to the kitchen, smiling as he saw his mother feeding Daisy. The little girl squealed as soon as she realized that her big brother was back. Michelle immediately turned around to see what was it that had gotten her daughter so excited, smiling warmly at her son as soon as her eyes landed on him. 

“Hey babe, how did it go?” She asked, bringing him in for a hug. 

“it was fine,” Eggsy said evasively as he turned to kiss Daisy’s cheeks. “Hiya flower.” 

“Eggsy,” she all but squealed, giving him a grin. “I missed ya.” 

“I missed yeh too flower,” he said with a wink, turning to look back at his mother. He froze as soon as he turned, the change in angle revealing the right side of his mothers face which had been covered before by her hair. 

He gasped softly as he took in his mother’s bruised face, his good mood all but gone. His blood boiled in his veins as an urge to find Dean - his mother’s fuckup of a husband - and beat him to a pulp. How dare he touch his mother again? 

Eggsy clenched his teeth as flashes of his mom trying to cover up her bruises when he was still a kid crossed through his mind. Dean had finally stopped beating Michelle when Eggsy had turned twelve and he had been big enough to stand in between the two - not that Michelle gave Dean much chance to beat Eggsy up. She would lock both her son and herself in the bathroom when Dean came home drunk. 

But it seemed that the man was back on his depraved tracks. 

Eggsy finally stood up, going back to the door to put on his shoes and his jacket. 

“No, Eggsy wait,” his mother murmured, quickly running to where her son stood, her eyes filled with fear. “I’m okay. Don’t go. He’ll-”

“No, mum, it’s enough. I won’t let him hurt you ever again, especially not now that Daisy is ‘ere too.” Eggsy cradled his mother’s face. “I know I ‘aven’t been workin’ for MI6 for long just yet, but I’m gonna get us out of ‘ere, a’right? We’ll stay with my boss for a while if we need to.” 

His mother bit her lip, a glimmer of hope shining in her eyes, before the fear took over again. “No, Eggsy, he’ll find us and he’ll be angry. It’s okay, babe, I’m fine.” 

Eggsy clenched his jaw again, not having it. It was time he taught Dean a lesson. He whirled around, ignoring his mother’s pleas as he walked out the door, his hands clenched into fists. This would be the last time Dean dared to touch his mother. 

———————————

Merlin took out his phone, looking at Harry pace as he waited for his mate to pick up. He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding as soon as Roxy picked up the phone. “Hello love,” he murmured ever so softly, earning a teasing eyebrow from Harry. 

“Hey,” Roxy said with a smile, throwing herself on the bed. “Did you all get to the safe house safely?” 

“Yes, we are fine, sorry for not calling earlier. Harry decided to have the meeting anyways via Skype, so we’ve been busy. Bors is checking the perimeter now, but we are fine,” Merlin assured her. “Did you and Eggsy make it out of there without problem?” 

“There was a bit of a hassle,” she admitted nonchalantly, not wanting to get Merlin’s knickers in a twist. “But we got here safely. Eggsy left about half an hour ago, actually. He decided to go back home, since we’re leaving.” 

Harry, who had been overhearing the conversation - really it was impossible not to considering they were in the same room - whirled around with a worried look. “He _what_? Roxanne why did you let him go?” 

Roxy bit her lip. She should have known Harry was going to freak out. The man could be such a drama queen. “I sent him with a tracker, Harry, don’t worry. And I told him that he could use the panic button at any time.” 

“Send me the tracking signal,” Harry commanded as he moved to the door to get his coat.” 

“And where the bloody hell do you think you are going?” Merlin snarled, walking quickly towards Harry to grab him by the arm and hold him back. 

“I am going to talk to Eggsy,” Harry said as if it were the most obvious thing. “I didn’t get a chance to talk to him before we left, and there are many things I need to tell him.” 

Merlin rolled his eyes, but said nothing else, knowing that Harry was not going to let the matter drop. The man was as obstinate as they came. If he wanted to go talk to Eggsy, then that was what he was going to do. 

“don’t think you’re going alone, Harry,” Merlin warned at last, picking up his own coat. 

Oh hell no. He did not need a myriad of vampires listening in to his conversation. 

Harry turned around and ran out of the house, knowing that it would take them quite a bit to catch up. Hopefully enough for him to talk to Eggsy without them listening in. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay you got the chapter one day early, lol. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it!


	11. A choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “I'm a semi truck, no fucking brakes, outta control like a bull out da gate  
> Get crunk, I'd get the fuck out the way, we get bananas like a room full of apes  
> I done lost it, you flossin', im over here with my niggas in the mosh pit  
> Throwing elbows, stomping shell toes, is that nigga dead? Who the fuck knows…
> 
> … I don't give a fuck, I don't give a fuck, fuck it  
> I don't give a fuck, I don't give a fuck, fuck it  
> LET'S FUCKING LOSE IT!
> 
> Get outta your mind, get outta your mind  
> Bump that shit, get outta your mind”
> 
> Lil’ Jon - Get Outta Your Mind Lyrics

Eggsy pushed open the door to the Black Prince, looking furious. He had had it with Dean’s bullshit. The young man’s eyes narrowed as he spotted the man in question sitting at the head of a long table, with a number of his idiotic friends. They had clearly been drinking, heavily, which could either be a really good thing or a really bad thing.

Dean tended to be more violent when drunk; however, Eggsy was a trained MI6 agent going against a drunk man that - while strong - did have slower hand to eye coordination when under the influence. Really, this could actually work to his advantage. Unless every baboon in the table decided to intervene. Then it could potentially get a bit messy. 

“Dean,” Eggsy growled, leaving his intentions clear. It did not matter whether or not the odds were stacked against him. He refused to continue to be a bystander in the toxic relationship between Dean and his mother. He’d figure out a way to support his family financially. 

“Well look who’s back,” Dean murmured sardonically, taking a sip from his pint. “Didn’t think I’d see ya around again, muggsy. Wha’, did they finally realized yeh’s a beat up good fer nuthin’?Or did they finally find out yeh’s a poof?” 

Eggsy clenched his fists. He would not let Dean get him riled up, well not more than he already was. He had had to live with the man’s derisive comments for the better part of his life, and he refused to let the man do any more damage. He refused to continue to feel like a worthless… thing just because of who he was. He refused to give in to Dean’s taunts. 

“Mind explainin’ to me why I come home to find me mum’s face bruised?” Eggsy said in a clipped tone, keeping his tone low. 

“Because she doesn’t know when to shut up,” Dean said easily, a challenging look on his eyes. He clearly didn’t think Eggsy had the balls to actually do something about it. 

Oh how fucking wrong he was. 

Eggsy stalked closer, taking off his jacket in a fluid motion. He had left his weapons in the safe house - a dumb move - but he wasn’t particularly concerned. He knew how to use his body to make people bleed and suffer. He did not need a gun in his hands to take Dean down. 

When he was less than a foot away from the man, he leaned in, his teeth bared. “Yeh will never again touch a ‘air in her ‘ead, yeh got me?” 

That was obviously a wrong move, for Dean’s temper flared immediately, his drunkenness only adding to his rage. He stood up immediately, growling and muttering under his breath. Eggsy took two steps back, knowing enough of Dean’s fighting style to know the man would go for a frontal attack when he was either too drunk to think clearly or too angry - and right now he was both. 

Dean lunged forward, trying, just as Eggsy had predicted, to land a punch on the younger man’s face, which Eggsy easily dodged. Eggsy in turn moved sideways as he delivered a brutal jab to the man’s side. Dean grunted in pain and turned to face Eggsy, who was no longer there for he had quickly moved to face Dean’s back, before jumping in the air to land a heavy kick against the man’s lower back. 

Dean fell face first, unable to keep his balancegiven to the suddenness of the attack. Eggsy smirked, for a moment forgetting about the world around him. It was a heady feeling to know that he was finally able to fight back against the man that had made his childhood hell. 

It was a mistake, however, to lower his guard, for every one of Dean’s goons was at least tipsy, and some were shit-faced drunk. Perhaps that was why he lowered his guard. He underestimated their capabilities when drunk, and overestimated his own training. 

Before Eggsy could take stock of the tension in the room, one of Dean’s goons stood up, a revolver tightly held in his hand. He sneered at Eggsy as he raised his gun, firing three times without really looking where he was hitting. The man was too drunk to know whether he wanted to kill Eggsy or just maim him, and he was far too gone to be able to tell the difference between what aim he should take to accomplish that goal when shooting. 

Eggsy screamed in pain when he felt the three bullets breach his body, breaking the muscles as they went. He was no doctor, but he knew enough about his own body to know he had been shot, at least once, in the lungs. 

Eggsy fell to the ground, just as the door to the door to the bar opened and a man screamed his name. He was in far too much pain, and far too dizzy, however, to try to identify who that was. 

———————————-

Harry heard a loud scream that chilled his blood as he reached the bar. He may not have known Eggsy long, but he would recognize that voice anywhere. That, and the smell of Eggsy’s blood was unmistakable. 

Eggsy was in danger. 

He rushed to the door, yanking it open, almost breaking it in the process. He stopped breathing all together when he saw Eggsy fall to the ground, bleeding profusely. He screamed the younger man’s name as if that could possibly be enough to save him, to keep him from falling to the ground in a pool of his own blood. 

Harry heard himself roar, a deep sound emanating from the very core of his being, from the animal within him. He could feel his powers awakening out of their own volition, empowered by his rage, corrupting his inhibitions and grating at his sanity. There was a part of him that wanted nothing more than to let out the monster, to tear everyone to shreds from the inside out, to see every wretched human that had hurt Eggsy bleed out while they wriggled in pain. 

Another part of him, however, was aware that he couldn’t very well do that. Just this morning he had gone through the trouble of taking Eggsy’s blood to avoid killing humans. Him killing everyone in the room would defeat the purpose. 

He took a deep breath trying to control his racing thoughts, which promptly snapped when he saw the man raised the gun at Eggsy again, while a few of his pals took out their weapons and aimed them at Harry. 

Harry ran forward, his tight control giving in to instinct as he reached the man standing in front of Eggsy and broke his hand. He smiled at the piercing scream the man let out, before snapping his neck. He allowed a single, short pulse of his power to make itself present in the room, knowing that it would be more than enough to control the humans. 

He could feel their foul blood coursing through their veins and he could feel Eggsy’s precious blood seeping out. He knew he should not be using his powers. It was too untamable even when he was under control. When angry… 

Harry shook his head, squeezing his hand to stop the flow of blood, to freeze their hearts in place, sending the entire room, with the exception of Eggsy, into cardiac arrest. He watched them fall, one by one, around him, and he couldn’t help but feel a sick, twisted pleasure in his gut because he had eliminated those that had harmed the man he cared for. 

He snapped back into reality as he watched the last of them fall, and he locked his powers back down with an iron clad will, beating back the beast with little effort as his worry for Eggsy took precedent. The boy was dying. Hell, he probably had less than five minutes to live. 

Harry dropped to his knees, picking Eggsy up carefully and cradling him in his arms. He couldn’t lose Eggsy. He simply couldn’t. There were so many things they still needed to talk about. So many thing Eggsy had yet to experience. He was too young, too wonderful to be taken out of the world so quickly. 

He just couldn’t let it happen. Damn the consequences, he would not let Eggsy die like this. He would go head to head with Chester if he had to. Hell, even if Eggsy hated him later for this he wouldn’t regret it. He could never regret saving the boy dying in his arms. 

And there lied the whole problem. He had grown too attached to Eggsy. 

Erasing all troubling thoughts from his head, Harry raised his right wrist, allowing his sharp canines to come out. He bit into his wrist, feeling a sharp stab of pain as blood began gushing out of the now open wound. Harry finally pulled away, distantly noticing that perhaps he had over done it.

He pulled Eggsy closer gently, feeling a pang of both sympathy and guilt as he realized that Eggsy seemed to be unconscious. He half forced the younger man’s mouth open and let his blood drip inside, watching closely as Eggsy instinctively swallowed the excess of liquid now in his mouth. The younger man winced slightly, probably because of the taste - no human really liked the coppery taste of blood - but he didn’t choke, so Harry counted that as a plus. 

He could hear Merlin coming, his footsteps loud enough for Harry’s ears to pick up from miles away, and he tensed. He moved his wrist away when the wound finally close itself, and he smiled softly, aware that - no matter what Merlin did now - he could not stop Harry from saving Eggsy. His blood was in the younger man’s system. The deed was done. 

He kissed the top of Eggsy’s head softly, forcing himself not to think about Eggsy’s reaction when he woke up, and then he snapped the younger man’s neck. He winced at the sound, knowing that it was necessary to do that, but still not liking it one bit. 

The door finally opened to reveal an angry looking Merlin, who froze at the door, forgetting how to breath. He looked around the room with varying degrees of shock, taking stock of the six dead bodies, and Eggsy’s lifeless body resting in Harry’s arms. 

‘What-” he started, but immediately stopped, too shocked to continue. 

“They shot Eggsy in the lungs” Harry explained, not meeting Merlin’s gaze. “I… I couldn’t let him die, Merlin,” Harry admitted quietly, bracing himself for the scolding he was sure to come. 

Merlin’s eyes narrowed immediately at Harry’s comment. “You… you changed him.” It wasn’t a question. “Bloody hell, Harry, what were you thinking?” 

“I wasn’t,” the man said with a roll of his eyes. “I just knew I couldn’t let him die, Merlin.” 

“And these men, did you kill them?” Merlin said, already knowing the answer, but needing Harry to face his crimes. 

“I did,” Harry admitted, wincing slightly. “I-”

“So you make me go through all the trouble of keeping the rebels alive and at bay, and yet you come and kill six humans?” Merlin sneered, looking ready to slap Harry. 

“I… I was not thinking,” Harry said with a chagrined expression. “I shouldn’t have… I-I got carried away. I was just…. upset.” 

Merlin rolled his eyes, not willing to further comment on the issue, mostly because it was clear why Harry had done it, and Merlin wasn’t sure if his friend was willing to face that he was in love with the hu- the fledgling. Yes, Harry could admit to himself and a handful of others that he had a “crush” on the young man, but this went far beyond crush. 

Harry had a very strong, destructive power, that was true, and the man could be very bloody when he wished, but Harry never killed just because, especially not humans. The man treasured life, and he always tried to make other people treasure it. So, for him to go around killing humans, he must have felt truly out of control indeed. 

"Alright, come on, we need to get you both out of here," Merlin said with a sigh. "And we need to clean up this mess." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaaaaand the story begins ;)
> 
> I may take a bit longer to update next week because I will not be in town, but I'll try my hardest to stay on schedule.


	12. Backlash

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Boys always make things more complicated."  
> \- Katrina Abbott

Harry picked Eggsy's body up, giving Merlin a tense nod. He knew he could trust Merlin to take care of the bodies, though he could not tell for sure whether or not the humans would later notice about what had transpired in the pub.

"I need you to run a background check on Eggsy," Harry said with a sigh. "We need to find out if he has any family..." He rubbed his eyes, the magnitude of his actions finally hitting. "They must be warned. Bring them to the palace. We need to keep them safe."

Merlin nodded, half tempted to pat Harry's shoulder to relieve the man of the tension, but he held himself back. He would not coddle Harry when he had been the one to fuck up.

"I will find his family as soon as I get this mess cleaned up. In the mean time, there's a car waiting for you a few blocks down the road," Merlin murmured as he pointed towards the door with his head. "Bors is there. Head back home, and I'll catch up with the lot of you later."

Harry nodded, murmuring his thanks before running out of the pub, cradling Eggsy's head against his neck to guard him from the wind. He reached the slick, black car in seconds, yanking the back door open with one hand.

Bors stepped out and helped Harry ease the young fledgling into the car, knowing it was not the time to neither ask nor comment. Harry gave him a silent nod, before rearranging Eggsy to keep him from bumping against anything on their way home.

Harry looked out the window and sighed softly as Bors took off faster than what was permitted by human law. The man flew through the now dark streets of London, making his way out of the city with little effort.

He flew past a myriad of cars, avoiding a number of collisions by the skin of his teeth. After what felt like an hour, he turned to a bumpy, deserted road far from London. Harry sighed again as Bors sped up again, a grin on the man's face.

Bors had always had a passion for racing cars, never mind that Harry always told him they were going to end up crashing against something one of these days.

Bors came to a screeching halt in front of a double set of tall oak doors. He stepped out of the car, and opened Harry's door, helping him get Eggsy out of the car. Harry, once standing, took Eggsy bridal style in his arms and headed towards the door, going up the stairs just as the door opened for him, a young maid bowing deeply as Harry rushed past her.

The man walked through the deserted, dark hallway, past a number of old paintings. He climbed up the marble stairs, turning left through another hallway.

He distantly wondered how Eggsy would take to his new home. The palace was old and dark, filled with halls that made it look more like a maze than anything else, yet it had an odd charm to it.

Harry pushed open the door to his room, a small warm light filling the large room. He directed himself to his bed, depositing Eggsy on top of the purple, silk sheets. He fixed a stranded hair on Eggsy's head before pushing himself away, walking quickly to the bathroom. He picked up a glass and filled it with water, taking with him a white, fluffy towel.

He sat back down on the bed, ripping Eggsy's shirt open with a single tug. He watered the towel and then set about cleaning the gunshot wound, taking out the bullet with two fingers. He winced as he took out the offending object, keeping it in his hand as he cleaned the wound again.

He smiled softly as he saw the wound heal itself now that there was no bullet inside to prevent it from healing. The transformation was well under way, in fact, Harry was sure he'd wake up within the hour.

He took the dirtied towel and the glass back to the bathroom, throwing the towel into the hamper before draining the glass in the sink. He turned back to face the unconscious young man, distantly wondering how bad it would be if he helped Eggsy into new, cleaner clothes.

Perhaps it would be best to let him change once he woke up.

Suddenly, Harry's phone rang, breaking the silence in the room. He took it out of his pocket immediately, brining it to his ear as he murmured "Merlin."

"He has a mother and a sister," the man said quietly, the purr of the man's car alerting Harry that he was on his way. "You killed his step father, but of what it seems he was rather abusive at home, so I don't think he'll mind."

"Did his mother say anything?" Harry murmured, distress seeping into his voice.

"She was rather... Happy, though she's very worried about Eggsy," Merlin admitted. "I will explain things more thoroughly to her once we reach the palace. We should be arriving shortly."

Harry nodded. "I'll have them ready a room."

"I've warned the maids already," Merlin said with a small smile. "They should be kept away from Eggsy until-"

"I know," Harry said, letting out another sigh.

Before Harry could say anything else, there was a knock at his door. The man rolled his eyes. He couldn't have five seconds of peace, it seemed.

"Come in," he groused, unfastening the small laces that kept the curtains of his bed in place. Once the laces were undone, he moved the curtains, hiding Eggsy out of sigh just as the door opened.

The same woman that had opened the door for Harry now stood there, giving Harry an apologetic look. "Master, the leaders of the metus and the potior clans are here."

Harry's brows rose at that. He hadn't expected the two men to be here already. He really couldn't catch a bloody break. "Thank you, my dear," he said at last. "I'll be there in a minute."

The young woman nodded and turned to leave, as Harry turned to face the now hidden bed. He hoped Eggsy wouldn't wake up until he returned.

He turned away and hurried back down the stairs to the conference room, finding Valentine and Chester already sitting there, one on the left and one on the right. The two men stood, Valentine looking passive and Chester looking furious.

"What on earth did you do?" The man murmured, his pomp accent coming our more pronounced than ever.

"Pardon me?" Harry said, his voice turning cold.

"I could smell a fledgling the minute you walked into the palace," Chester seethed. "So I ask again, what on earth did you do?"

Fucking Chester and his fucking uncanny sense of smell.

"As I am sure you were alerted, we were attacked by a band of rebels," Harry murmured, moving to sit at the head of the table. "I think we should concentrate on that."

Chester clenched his jaw. "Stop trying to change the subject, Harry. That won't work with me," the man warned, his eyes fiery.

Harry rolled his eyes and steeled himself for the upcoming argument. "The young man assigned to protect me was attacked. He was dying and so I changed him," Harry murmured, his voice monotonous. "It was the only way to save his life, and I made a judgement call."

"And, pray tell, why was his life so important?" Chester said darkly, his eyes narrowed. "He was a human, for goodness' sake. You could have just let him die."

"I happen to think he can be a wonderful asset for us," Harry said, clenching his fingers. "He was a superbly skilled human, and a very loyal one too. He can be a great kingsman," Harry argued.

Chester looked ready to stake Harry. "You want to allow a fledgling into the guard?" The man growled.

"If I remember correctly, trials are about to start for the new position, and I have yet to nominate someone," Harry said simply, half enjoying Chester's enraged look. "He will be my nomination."

In truth, he hadn't even considered asking Eggsy to take the trials, but now it made sense. He may never be able to be with the young man in any romantic sense, but at least he could have him close by. He could protect him and, more importantly, Eggsy would be respected as a Kingsman.

Only the best of the best made it into the guard, and Harry had no doubt Eggsy could do it. He would have a comfortable life, and perhaps he would one day even be able to mate with someone - whom Harry would never be able to face without wanting to kill them - and be happy.

That was all Harry really wanted for Eggsy. He wanted him to be happy.

"I will not allow you to introduce a fledgling into the guard," Chester sneered, standing up.

"I wasn't asking for your permission," Harry growled, standing up as well as the room crackled with the force of the energy emanating from the two enraged vampires.

"Let's all calm down," Valentine murmured, his eyes shining purple as his voice turned sweet as honey.

The two men turned to him to tell him off for daring to use his powers on the two, but before they could say anything Valentine continued.

"If Harry wants him on the guard, then he will have to pass the tests like all the others. He will only serve Harry's clan, as he will not be accepted in Chester's realm, and he will be more comfortable with you than with me," the man murmured softly, his eyes still shining brightly. "You will both stop fighting now and breathe."

Both men scowled but obeyed as they had not raised their defenses before Valentine had used his own set of abilities. The man was obviously exerting barely any of his powers, knowing how much the other two men hated it when he used it on them.

"Next time you do that, I will chop off you arm," Chester said sweetly, giving him a sadistic smile.

Harry merely rolled his eyes, feeling calmer. "Stop with your melodrama, Chester," Harry snapped before sitting back down. "Now that that has been decided, can we please concentrate on the matter at hand? I'd rather be there when Eggsy wakes up."

Valentine nodded and sat back down. "Did you reach a deal with the humans?"

"No," Harry murmured with a scowl. "I had one last meeting that I couldn't attend because of the attack."

"So your trip was rather useless," Chester quipped, for once not looking angry.

"I'm so glad my failure brings you such joy" Harry said drily as he turned to look at the man.

Chester smiled at Harry. "I most certainly am not happy," the man said. "I just feel like it's the time to say I told you so." Chester crossed his arms. "You cannot deal with humans. I think we've seen that time and time again."

"I will not go to war," Harry said firmly.

"Nor will I," Valentine murmured. "I have shed enough human blood."

Chester rolled his eyes. Valentine's guilt still made no sense to him. At first it had been just him and Harry, before they had found Valentine, a bitter vampire - at the time - hell bent on destroying humanity.

It had taken a great deal of effort on Harry's part - and a number of threats - for the man to relent and see the error in his ways. And, even then, it hadn't been until he had met his mate that he had truly calmed down.

Still, that had been almost a thousand years ago, while both Harry and the man were still teenagers, and the man was still beating himself up over that.

"Still," Valentine murmured suddenly, "we can't shy away from war if it comes to that. I propose we wait to see what the humans say. Depending on that we will begin negotiations again, or we will see what options we have."

Harry nodded, not feeling up to a fight. "Well, then, if you shall excuse me, I have matters to attend to."

Valentine nodded, giving Harry a wink before getting up to leave. Chester sighed but said nothing else, giving Harry a small nod. At least he didn't look angry.  
\------------------------  
Eggsy felt the darkness dissipate and he gasped, jolting upright. He groaned, opening his eyes with difficulty.

He froze as he finally took in the room - he assumed it was a room - he was in. It was unfamiliar to him but, what was truly unsettling, was how precisely he could see things. He could see every particle of dust, even though it was very dark. He pushed away the curtains, surprised by how soft the fabric felt against his fingertips.

He blinked a few times, noticing a number of different smells that he was pretty sure would soon turn overwhelming.

Eggsy suddenly turned to face the door as he heard footsteps coming in the direction of the room. The door opened to reveal a dashing looking Harry Hart and Eggsy half forgot how to breathe.

He had known the man was beautiful of course, but there was something different now. It was as if the man was HD-ed now, both his charming features and his imperfections, which just made him all the more attractive to Eggsy for he was now almost... Human.

He looked like a man, not an untouchable vampire anymore.

"Harry?" Eggsy murmured, his voice gruff. He cleared his throat, suddenly noticing the fiery burning in his throat. He needed water. He had never felt this thirsty.

"Eggsy," Harry breathed out, coming to sit near Eggsy on the bed. "Do you remember what happened?"

Eggsy frowned, but looked back at his day, suddenly blinking as he remembered the pub and the shot. He looked down immediately, even more confused when he found his shirt torn open and no wound to be found.

Eggsy gaped at his own chest. "How... "

"You were dying," Harry murmured quietly. "And I... I'm so sorry Eggsy."

Eggsy frowned, completely thrown off by Harry's reaction. "What's the matter? What did yeh do? I don't understand-"

"I changed you," Harry whispered. "I couldn't let you die... So I changed you."

Eggsy gaped at the man, not sure how to feel about the news. For some strange reason, he didn't feel angry at Harry. He was just... very surprised.

Eggsy swallowed hard. "What 'appened to Dean and-"

"I killed them," Harry admitted without looking at Eggsy. "I am afraid I reacted on instinct. I apologize. I have sent Merlin to fetch your family. They will be safe here, and they'll be looked after."

"Yeh killed them?" Eggsy repeated, still feeling a bit flabbergasted. "Bit much innit?"

"They tried to kill you," Harry murmured, before muttering an apology.

Now was not the time for excuses.

"Why did ya save me?" Eggsy asked suddenly, turning back to look at Harry.

Harry looked surprised. "What do you mean?"

"I'm just food to yeh, so why did ya-"

"You're not-" Harry groaned, before suddenly straightening. There were better ways to make Eggsy see his point. "We can talk about this later, right now you need to eat."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My new year's gift to you.
> 
> P.S I'm hoping updates will go back to normal now that the holiday season is over.


	13. Let's go hunting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "People never learn anything by being told, they have to find out for themselves."
> 
> Paulo Coelho

"Eat?" Eggsy asked, still feeling too shocked and numb to understand the current situation he was in.

Harry frowned slightly as he murmured "Yes, eat... I am going to take you hunting." 

Eggsy gaped at the man again. "Wait What?" 

Harry rubbed his temples as he sat closer to Eggsy. "Now that you are a vampire, you need to drink blood, Eggsy. Normally, we don't hunt. We get either blood delivered or human guests. However, it's important that you go hunting on your first time, so you can start getting acclimated to your new abilities."

Eggsy sat silently, a simmer of anger finally starting to make itself known. He had never particularly liked Vampires, and he had always especially hated their diet. And yet now here he was, being asked to drink blood, to kill, to- 

He felt sick.

"I ain't gonna kill nobody," he half growled at the man, his eyes showing his fear.

"You don't have to kill anyone, my dear," Harry immediately assured him. "One of the reasons I am taking you is so that you learn to control yourself." Harry hesitated for a second, but soon enough grabbed Eggsy's hand. "I am not going to let you harm anyone, Eggsy. I will be there with you every step of the way."

Eggsy was sure that, if his heart had still been beating, it would have skipped a beat at that. He squashed the fluttering feeling soon enough, however. Harry was just doing that because he felt guilty about having changed Eggsy without his permission.

Which, really, he should feel sorry about, especially since Eggsy still wasn't sure whether he was okay with being a vampire. 

"Eggsy?" Harry asked softly, after a few moments of silence. 

"Ah, yes, right. Sorry, got distracted," he muttered, giving Harry an apologetic smile.

He wasn't sure what was happening, but it felt like it was now harder to concentrate, his mind going faster than before.

Harry only chuckled and nodded, standing up to offer his hand to the new vampire. "Come on, we need to get out of the palace." 

Eggsy looked down at their clasped hands, and hid a smile. It felt incredibly right to have Harry hold him, which was an emotion he did not want to touch with a ten foot pole. 

Harry got them to the parking lot quickly enough. He walked past rows of cars until he reached his personal favorite, a black Ferrari 250 GTO. He turned to look back, surprised to find Eggsy still standing by the door. 

"Eggsy?" Harry called, looking around to try to decipher what the problem was.

"These are all race cars," he said, internally grimacing at the obviousness of his statement.

Harry frowned as he leaned against the now open door. "Yes...is there a problem?"

Eggsy approached Harry slowly. "You own all of these race cars? 

"Yes," Harry said, sounding amused. "Merlin loves cars, so he decided he would collect race cars." The man shrugged. 

Eggsy gaped at Harry. Only posh people like Harry could talk about owning over twenty race cars, which had probably costed millions of dollars each, like if it was normal. Eggsy cleared his throat and shook his head. He couldn't exactly reproach the man for having the means to spend such obscene amounts of money, especially since he had probably been around for a very long time. 

"Are you alright?" Harry asked, sounding slightly worried.

"Yeah, I'm just not used to being around people like yeh,” he murmured, only realizing that such a statement was probably not something you shared out loud, after he said it. 

“Pardon?” Harry said, still sounding slightly amused, but mostly curious. 

Eggsy gestured with his hands, before finally murmuring. “Properly posh and shit.” 

“Ah,” Harry murmured awkwardly, before silently getting into the car. He was still trying to process whether Eggsy’s statement was good or bad. The young man was obviously impressed, but the man new there was a thin line between healthily impressed and being intimidated with a sprinkling of disgust, and Harry didn’t know on which side Eggsy stood.

“Right,” Eggsy said as he sat down, his eyes turning dreamy when he felt the soft leader cushion his back. He had always wanted to sit in a ferrari, but, most importantly, he had always wanted to drive one. He watched as Harry turned the ignition on, the car purring back to life. 

Eggsy licked his lips, as Harry gently switched gears and gently pressed on the accelerator. The car responded to the man’s command with an ease that had Eggsy feeling hot and bothered. The sight of Harry driving such a car was reallynot good for his health. 

Soon enough however, Eggsy frowned, as his fantasy came to a screeching halt. They had exited the parking lot already, and yet Harry was not speeding up. At all. 

“Do yeh always drive this slowly?” Eggsy blurted out, mostly out of irritation. This was his childhood dream, and Harry was ruining it. 

Harry turned to look at him with a raised brow. “Generally, yes. Why?” 

 “Yeh ‘ave a ferrari and yet you won’t go past sixty miles an hour,” Eggsy said with faint horror. “Why-”

“I don’t feel the need to speed up,” Harry said simply, his eyes sparkling with a glint of humor. He would need to let Bors drive Eggsy one of these days. Then perhaps the boy would understand why he had an aversion to driving like a maniac.

His look soon turned sour as he noticed the two black cars following them. The vampire king sighed, his eyes turning hard. 

“What’s the matter?” Eggsy immediately murmured, looking back to try and figure out who was in those two cars. 

“They just can never leave me, alone,” Harry said with annoyance. “Well, it seems that you will be getting the ride you wanted after all. Buckle up.” 

Eggsy immediately did as he was told, not understanding what was happening. “What do yeh mean the ride I - Fucking hell!” Eggsy’s head hit the seat as Harry pressed hard on the accelerator. 

Harry only chuckled, taking a sharp turn that had Eggsy scrambling for purchase. The man did not turn to look at Eggsy as he winded down a different road, taking another sharp turn that led them into the forest. 

Eggsy held back a scream as he turned his head to the side. They were going to die. He was sure of it. At the speed they were going, they were going to end up crashing with a tree and the car would split in half and they would be splattered.

Harry watched Eggsy from the corner of his eyes as he sped up again, coming close to hitting a number of trees. He smiled softly as he ran past a shallow river. While he didn't particularly enjoy driving like this, that didn't mean he wasn't good at it. 

Which seemed to be the point Eggsy was missing. 

Harry suddenly put his hand on Eggsy’s knee and turned to look at hm. “Calm down, Eggsy. I am not going to get us hurt.” 

Eggsy’s eyes widened as he murmured. “Harry keep your eyes on the fuckin’ road!” 

Harry only laughed at that, but did as he was told, not wanting to cause the boy further stress. After a few more daring turns and sudden jumps, Harry brought the car to a screeching halt. 

“Come on, we have to move quickly,” the man said as he exited the car with an ease that Eggsy couldn’t help but envy. 

The younger man undid his belt with trembling fingers, and needed to take a moment to gather himself. He felt like he was going to be sick. Harry opened the door on Eggsy’s side and helped him out, Harry’s scent helping to soothe Eggsy. 

Harry grabbed Eggsy by the hand a murmured. “We’re going to run now, alright? It might feel a bit weird.”

Eggsy swallowed hard but nodded, gripping Harry’s hand a bit harder. The man gave him a reassuring squeeze before taking off like a bullet, his feet making no noise as he ran through the forest. 

Eggsy let out a small laugh as he realized he was keeping up with Harry without putting much effort into it. Of course, he couldn’t tell whether the man himself was putting in any effort. Harry looked back at Eggsy and gave him a dazzling smile bringing him slightly closer with a soft pull of his hand. 

He knew he shouldn’t be doing that, but there was just a part of him, a part he apparently couldn’t shut up, that wanted to have Eggsy close to him. 

They stopped running after what felt like a few minutes, and only then did Eggsy realize how fast they had been going. It hadn’t felt like they had covered that much ground, to be honest. It _had_ felt faster than when he used to run as a human, but it hadn’t felt like he had ran straight through an entire forest. 

“Bloody hell,” he muttered quietly, earning him an endearing chuckle from the older vampire. Suddenly Eggsy froze. “Harry yeh left yer car in the forest.” 

“They’ll retrieve it later,” Harry assured him as he let go of Eggsy’s hand. “Now we should-“

“They’re gonna steal it Harry,” Eggsy warned. 

The man smiled at Eggsy as he came closer, his sharp teeth showing, making him look much more like the predator he was underneath. ”If anyone can get away with stealing my car when it is within my own territory, then they deserve to keep it, darling.”

Eggsy shuddered softly, not sure whether he should be turned on by the man calling him darling or scared by the sheer amount of danger Harry let off in waves without even trying. He held back a gasp as he felt Harry touch his back ever so softly. 

“Alright, Eggsy, there are a few humans near by, so I need you to concentrate now. Close your eyes,” the man commanded, standing close enough to make Eggsy’s head swim. 

Eggsy did as he was told, breathing in a delicious scent that was undoubtedly Harry. The ma stepped to the side and murmured. “Try to sense them. Use your nose, my dear, and you will find them. Now, remember, they are your sustenance, but they are people, and you do not want to harm them.” 

Eggsy nodded, for once Harry’s words making perfect sense to him. He could smell the scent of their blood. He could practically sense it pulsing within their body, but that meant nothing to him. They weren’t his food. They were people. 

“Now, go,” Harry said, following Eggsy closely as the boy took off. 

Eggsy approached an older gentleman, who stood alone near a bus stop, looking quite dashing in a polo shirt and dark pants. Eggsy smiled at the man, his instinct taking over as the man looked into Eggsy’s red eyes. 

“Hello,” Eggsy murmured pleasantly, his eyes shining. 

“Hello,” the man murmured as if in a trance. 

“’m sorry 'bout this, guv” Eggsy murmured as he approached the man, bringing him down to brush his lips against the man’s neck. He could feel his canines growing, and he shuddered. The man smelled so good, and yet he couldn’t help but be repulsed by what he was about to do. 

Harry watched him from a few feet away, his eyes hard as he watched the fledgling close his lips around the man’s throat. He had no right to be jealous, and yet, there was no other word he could use for the anger now burning inside of him, for the possessiveness that made him want to pry the man away and push Eggsy against the wall to kiss him. 

Harry fisted his hands and closed his eyes. He couldn’t watch, not without the fear of doing something drastic. He contented himself to monitor the man’s blood flow, to make sure Eggsy really didn’t harm him. 

Control was a hard thing to come by, and it some times took years. For some it took longer than others, but it was always hard at first. 

When Harry felt the man close to fainting, he approached Eggsy, putting his hand on Eggsy’s jugular as he commanded “Let go, Eggsy.” 

Eggsy immediately obeyed, his eyes flying open with a look of utter horror. “I-”

 

Harry helped the man sit down before turning to Eggsy.  Harry shook his head, stopping him immediately. “You did nothing wrong, Eggsy. You didn’t harm him. He’ll be just fine.” 

Eggsy touched his bloodied lips.“I couldn’t stop, not until yeh-”

“That is absolutely normal. We all have a hard time at first. The fact that you stopped as soon as I told you is very impressive Eggsy,” Harry assured him with a squeeze of his hand.

Harry then turned to face the man, who still seemed to be a bit dazed. The vampire’s eyes shined as he used the same trick Eggsy had used unconsciously. 

“I am going to now heal your wound,” Harry explained, taking a step closer to the man. He moved the man’s head ever so slightly, bending down to lick at the man’s wound for a few seconds. Soon enough, the wound closed itself, leaving behind a few faint pink marks.

Eggsy watched with fascination as Harry finished patching up the man, half of him feeling the same burning desire he had felt ever since he had met the man, and the other half feeling angry that Harry was paying so much attention to the stranger.  

Oh, Eggsy was so fucked.

Harry tilted the man's chin up. "Thak you very much for your service. You will now wait for your bus and you will go home. In the morning you will call this number." Harry took out a card and slipped it into the man's pocket. "You will be handsomely rewarded for your help." 

Harry finally turned to face Eggsy, licking his lips at the sight of Eggsy biting his still bloodied lip. Harry was unable to help himself as he reached forward, cleaning Eggsy’s lip with his thumb. Eggsy let out a halting breath, his eyes never leaving Harry’s. 

For a second, Harry reveled in the sensuality of it all, before stepping away. He had overstepped his boundaries. 

Finally he cleared his throat and murmured. “Tell me, do you think of this man as food?” 

“Of course not!” Eggsy murmured, his nostrils flaring. 

“Then perhaps now you can understand that, to me, you have never just been food.” 

Eggsy gaped at the man. Was that the reason the man had been so hell bent on taking Eggsy out to hunt? To show him that he meant more to Harry? 

Fuck, why did Harry have to be so bloody nice to him? He was having enough of a hard time keeping his feelings at bay as it was. 

"What's gonna happen to him?" Eggsy asked, not sure whether he wanted to know the answer.

"He will be paid a hefty price for his blood, and he will forget all about this by tomorrow," Harry said calmly, fixing his cuff links. “Now that we’ve sorted that out,” Harry said, shuffling on his feet nervously. “I was wondering…Well, given that you are very young and new at this, I don’t believe it is wise for you to rejoin the human world just yet.” Harry sighed. “I know you love your job, so I was wondering… If you’d be interested in joining Kingsman.” 

“Kingsman?” Eggsy asked softly. 

Harry nodded. “It’s my, and the other two kings’, personal guard, though you would only be serving me. There are a number of tests that you would have to pass, of course, but I am confident you can do it.” 

Eggsy suddenly grinned at the man. “Well, I ain’t got nothin’ to lose.” 

He still had no idea what the fuck was happening with his life, but the man had just offered him the chance to stay by his side, and Eggsy wasn’t just about to pass up on that opportunity. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge thanks to Erin for helping me figure out what car to use given that I literally know NOTHING about cars, and also for enabling me, thus making this chapter much longer than intended.


	14. Home truths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Be calm in arguing, for fierceness makes error a fault and truth discourtesy.”  
> \- George Herbert

Percival put on his long, travel jacket, walking out of his house silently. The last he had heard from Eggsy had been almost two days ago, when the boy had informed him he was going to Essex. He had waited patiently until today for a bloody phone call, but when none had come he had decided to take matters into his own hands.

He had contacted Michelle, who had not answered his call either. It seemed to be an annoying habit both Eggsy and his mother had. He’d have to have a talk with the boy when he came back. Still, that didn’t answer the question of where the hell Eggsy was, which left Percival to worry in his own home, which just wouldn’t do. 

He walked to his car and turned on the engine, the car revving up to life immediately. He stepped on the accelerator and took off, driving through the streets of London silently, worry biting at the back of his mind. Eggsy had never gone this long without communicating with Percival when on a mission. It was very much unlike Eggsy. 

He had half a mind to go check the safe home the vampires had in Essex, but he knew that would take an awful lot of time and it would do him little good. Besides, he had no idea whether Chester’s people were there. 

No, he’d first have to check Michelle’s home, see if she had heard any news, before doing anything rash. 

He reached Michelle’s home almost an hour later, the streets around him looking quite different from the ones in his own - posh, in Eggsy’s words - neighborhood. He stepped out of the car and walked to the door, feeling uneasy about the lack of light coming out of the windows. It was dark, yet not a single light was on.

The man closed his eyes and listened, surprised to find no heartbeats coming from inside the house. He bit his lip before pushing the door open by sheer use of strength. Michelle would probably scream at him about it later, and Eggsy too, but they would have to deal. This was far too odd and Percival was not about to leave without some answers, especially considering that Eggsy had been working with Vampires. 

He pushed the door open and walked in, freezing as he took in the mess the room was in. There was police tape in the living room, as well as a number of broken glasses laying on the floor. Percival walked in carefully, his gut clenching in fear as he approached the tape. He crouched to walk past the tape and kneeled on the floor to smell the blood. 

Something inside him relaxed marginally as he realized that the smell did not match Michelle’s. It was someone else’s blood. He stood up quickly, exiting the apartment quickly as he walked back to his car. 

He turned the car back on and sped down the street to the police station designated to this sector. He passed a number of red lights, not giving a fuck about the possible tickets he’d be getting in the mail. He reached the station and exited his vehicle, quickly making his way to the front desk where a security man was sitting, his skin a lovely chocolate tone.

“Good evening,” Percival murmured with a smile he hoped did not look predatory in nature.

“What can I do for you, sir?” The man said amicably. He had no idea what a man dressed in such fine clothes was doing in a neighborhood like this, but he wasn’t going to question it. Not yet, at least. 

“I was wondering if you could give me any information regarding Michelle Unwin,” He said softly. “I went to her house but I saw that the police had taken residence there.” 

“I am afraid cases are not for public knowledge, sir,” the man said immediately, frowning softly.

Percival took out his badge, showing it to the man. “I am afraid this is a matter of national security,” Percival murmured, leveling a confident glance to the man. “I need any information you can get me on her and her family.” 

The policeman gaped at Percival for a few seconds, before finally looking down at his computer. Percival let out a small breath of relief as he looked around the station, waiting for the man to pull up the files. He made an annotation on his pad before getting up and moving away, presumably to pick up the physical file. 

He came back a few minutes later with two files in his hands and passed them off to Percival. “Thank you very much,” Percival murmured, immediately opening the first, which was Dean Baker’s file.

He read quickly, freezing when he saw the picture on the second page. “He’s dead?” 

“Yes, sir,” The man confirmed. “We found him and a couple of his friends - gang members if you ask me - dead in a pub three blocks from here.”

“And his wife?” Percival asked, feeling his throat close up.

The man shook his head. “We still haven’t been able to locate her. We found another dead body in her house, but there’s no sign of her or her daughter. We also haven’t been able to localize her son.”

“How did they die?” Percival said as he looked down at the file and read _heart attack_. “The others, I mean.” 

“That’s the strange thing, sir,” the man said, suddenly animated. “They all died of heart attacks, well except the one we found at Mrs. Baker’s house. They broke his neck and he fell on glass.”

Percival paled minutely, letting out a shuttering breath. “How many were they?”

“Uh, I think it was six in the bar, and one in her house? The forensic team is stumped,” the man admitted, not sure why he was being so open with the agent.

Percival licked his lips, frowning softly. “Thank you very much officer, that’s all I need.” 

He gave back the files, before heading outside. He reached his car and placed his hands on the bonnet, breathing heavily. Of course the forensic team was stumped. That hadn’t been a natural cause of death. They had all been murdered, and there was only one man that had the ability to stop a man’s heart at will.

Harry Hart - vampire extraordinaire.

Percival had witnessed him kill a man with his abilities only once in his life. They had been walking down a street in a human neighborhood when a man had come out of an alleyway and had tried to take down Percival. They had been but kids then - looking no older than any regular thirteen year old boys - and they had been close back then.

Harry had never told Percival about his ability. He had known, of course, that Harry had one - being an alpha prime and all - but Percival had never seen him use it. He had assumed his friend had not awakened yet, but Percival had been wrong.

Harry had turned around, his face blank, and the gun in their assailant’s hand dropped immediately as his hand opened. He could still remember the man’s eyes widen in surprise as his body acted out of his own accord. Percival had looked at Harry’s impassive face as the man fell to his knees, gasping for breath.

He had died moments later, of what Percival had assumed to be a heart attack. Percival had not taken his eyes off of Harry for the entire time, and Harry had not taken his eyes off of the man. 

“Was that you?” Percival had asked, shaking slightly in fear. 

Harry had looked sad then, his eyes looking older than Percival had ever seen them, but he had not answered. All he had said was “Come on, we need to get you back to Chester’s home.” 

But the damage had been done. Percival had seen him in action. It was clear then that Harry had barely put any effort into controlling the man, and yet he had managed to kill the human. It had taken years for Percival to find out that it wasn’t the body per se that Harry was controlling, but the blood inside of it, which meant he could control a person’s every move from the inside out. 

Percival had never learned the full extent of Harry’s power, but then again, he was almost sure no one apart from Harry himself had. It was the one thing Harry didn’t talk about. 

So, Harry had taken Eggsy. It was the only thing that Percival could think off that would explain the boy’s sudden disappearance. 

The problem was, Percival couldn’t figure out why. He growled in frustration, taking off his contact lenses before taking off, allowing himself to run like he had not done in many, many years. He ran through the streets of London, the way to Harry’s home still fresh in his mind. He had been there far too many times as a child and as a teenager to forget. 

He reached the border to Harry’s lands and he didn’t stop, running past the forest as fast as his legs would carry him. He did stop, however, once he crossed the forest, aware of the two shadows following him. The two vampires came out of the dark, weapons at the ready. 

“I am here seeking an audience with your king,” he said softly, turning around to face the two guards. 

There was no small amount of shock in their faces as they realized it was Percival. “We were not expecting to see you back here, Mr. King.” 

Percival growled low in his throat, his eyes burning dangerously. “That is not my name, Kay.” 

The man rolled his eyes and said “Are you now denying your own family?” 

It was Percival’s turn to roll his eyes. “It was my uncle who denied me, if you remember correctly.” 

“After you deserted,” the man reminded him with a twitch of his lips. 

“We are going in circles, Kay,” Percival growled. The man had always particularly enjoyed annoying the shit out of Percival. “I need to talk to Harry.” 

The man nodded, sobering up, and turned to look at the other man. “Bors alert the king that he has a visitor.” He turned back to face Percival. “Now you have to wait to see if he gives you an audience.” 

“Lovely,” Percival said drily, placing his hands on his hips as he waited for the entitled little shit to approve of his visit. 

—————————————

Harry sat upon his throne as he waited for Percival, fidgeting with the sleeves of his shirt. The man had obviously come to inquire about Eggsy, which was a conversation Harry was really not looking forward to. 

He did not want to have to hurt Percival, and he certainly did not want to have to fend off the man’s attacks either. 

The doors burst open as Percival walked in, a perpetual frown already on his forehead. He looked absolutely furious. 

“Percival,” Harry said with a small nod, not looking at the man in the eye. 

The man, of course, noticed. “Where the fuck is Eggsy, Harry? And why did kill those humans?” 

Harry sighed, rubbing his face as he murmured. “Eggsy went back home when they reached, Essex, and I wasn’t able to stop him since I wasn’t there.” 

“Spare me the story and cut to the chase,” Percival snapped, clenching his hands. He had the rising suspicion of where this was going, and he was not liking it one bit. 

“He confronted his stepfather,” Harry said, ignoring Percival’s demands. “His stepfather, as I’m sure you know, is an abusive bastard.” Harry’s eyes suddenly hardened. “Why did you never get Eggsy out of there?” 

“I don’t know anything about his stepfather, Harry,” Percival said with exasperation. “I knew he disliked the man, and that the man was having troubles with Michelle, but I had never actually met him.” Percival sighed. “Eggsy is a very private person, Harry.” 

“Well, Dean Anthony Baker, was a drug dealer, among other things, so I don’t know why you are so upset about his death.” 

“So you admit that you killed him,” Percival said with a scuff of disbelieve. 

“He tried to kill Eggsy,” Harry seethed. “And almost succeeded too, had I not gotten there in time.” 

Percival took a deep calculated breath, approaching Harry’s throne slowly. “What did you do to Eggsy, Harry?” 

“I changed him,” Harry admitted, and quickly added “He had minutes to live. I couldn’t let him die-”

He couldn’t finish his sentence as Percival was suddenly upon him, going for Harry’s neck. The man immediately moved out of the way, grabbing Percival and throwing him to the ground before holding the man’s hands above his head to keep him still. 

‘For fuck’s sake, calm yourself man,” Harry barked out, huffing disgruntledly. 

“I told you to stay away from him.” Percival pushed Harry off and came to straddle the man as he circled his hand’s around Harry’s neck. “You ruin his life, and you tell me to stay calm-”

Harry pushed the man off, pushing him hard enough to make him slide to the other end of the room. “I have not ruined his life. I _saved_ his life.” 

Percival stood up with a growl, his canines coming out as his face contorted. He looked ready to kill Harry. “Oh, how nice of you to condemn the boy into this life.” 

Harry rolled his eyes, shifting his eyes slightly as he noticed Percival tensing, ready to pounce. “I am not going to let his life be miserable. For goodness’ sake, be sensible. I have offered him a spot at Kingsman. I-”

“You just can’t bear not having everything, can you Harry?” Percival growled, jumping to land near Harry, before beginning a full frontal attack against the man. “He will never be accepted, you already know that. You can’t even be with him. Why couldn’t just leave him and his family alone?” Percival murmured in between jabs which Harry easily blocked. “And now you’re trying to convince yourself that you didn’t do this purely because of selfish reasons-”

“Enough!” Harry growled, extending his palms, immediately freezing Percival in place. “That’s quite enough.” He took a deep breath to gather himself. Percival always knew how to rile him up. “I will not have you judge my actions, Percival. I did what I had to do to save his life, and I intend it to be a good one. And yes, it was selfish of me to want to see him alive, but I don’t see why that is a bad thing.” 

“And what happens when he isn’t accepted by the Kingsman?” Percival murmured, finding that, while he couldn’t control his body, he could control his mouth. “What happens when he presents as an Alpha? or what happens if he presents as an omega and doesn’t choose you?” 

Harry laughed hollowly, his eyes suddenly turning sad. “My agents will accept him. Merlin and Roxy already like him. Bors has started warming up to him, and I am sure Kay will like him too once they start together. As for his mate,” Harry’s gaze suddenly turned distant. “He will pick whoever he is destined to be with. Believe me, I have no allusions that I will be the one he mates with. I know we have different realities, Percival. I know he won’t want me, and I already know I cannot have him.” Harry tuned to look at his old friend, a bitter look on his eyes. “I _know_ , Percival, and I’m okay with it. If he’s happy, then I will be fine.” 

Suddenly, Percival fell to the floor as Harry released him from his hold. The man stood up, straightening his suit. “You really fell for this one didn’t you?” Percival murmured, still looking pissed. “I never though there would come the day that I’d say this, but Harry you are an idiot.” 

The man chuckled dryly. “Noted.” 

“He won’t be able to pass the Kingsman tests,” Percival warned. 

“He is an MI6 agent, I am sure he will do fine. Besides, he has you and Roxanne to help him,” Harry said with a small smile. 

“Excuse me?” Percival said, his brows shooting up. 

“You heard me,” Harry drawled out. “I am sure you know just as well as me that he needs to pass. I cannot interfere, but you can, so you will make sure he does well.” 

Percival gaped at Harry. “You entitled fuck. I am not coming back, Harry.” 

“No one said you had to come back,” Harry said with a sigh. “Eggsy can go to you.” 

“You can’t send a new fledgling alone into the human world,” Percival boomed, his anger rising again. 

“He will be escorted by one of my knights,” Harry snapped. 

“What did you do to his family?” the man said suddenly, his voice icy cold. 

“I sent an agent to retrieve them. They are here, and will remain here until it is safe for them to return to the human world,” Harry said calmly. 

“So it was also your people that dispatched of the man in Michelle’s apartment,” Percival said, sounding disappointed. 

“They were part of Dean’s gang, and they tried to kill both the agent I sent and Michelle.” Harry sighed again. “It was simple self defense.”

Percival sighed and turned around to leave. Having another argument with Harry was pointless. “I expect Eggsy to be at my house every night as they being preparations for the first test,” he said as he walked to the door. He stopped for a second to look back at Harry as he murmured “and this time do stay away from him.” 

Harry nodded absently, but Percival knew he meant it. The man didn’t want to harm Eggsy, nor did Harry want to break his own heart. There was nothing Percival could do to change what Harry had done, but the man was right. Eggsy’s best shot at a good life was becoming a kingsman, and Percival would make damn sure he became one. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for the delay. I have been rather busy, and I wanted to finish my Pride & Prejudice WIP before updating this one, given that I only had one chapter left.


	15. First Test

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "He is not one of us  
> He has never been one of us  
> He is not part of us  
> Not our kind"  
> \- Simba’s pride, Not One Of Us

Eggsy sat on his new bed, looking around the room with a sense of wonder. It had been a very long time since he had slept in a bed this soft, and he was pretty sure he had never been in a room this well furnished that he could technically call his own. Well Harry had said this was now Eggsy's room.

He still didn't know how he felt about any of this. He was more than a bit upset about the fact that he couldn't see his mum nor his sister right now, though he understood why he wasn't allowed to. It did help, though, to know that Dean was gone, that Harry had taken care of the man and his gang like some sort of sadistic James Bond who happened to care whether Eggsy lived or died. 

But this didn't just affect him. His mum and his sis were safe now. They had a nice - albeit slightly creepy - castle to stay at. They had warm food and people there to attend to their needs. They had the king's favor, and, although he wasn't yet sure whether his change was a good thing or not, he couldn't help but feel grateful. 

Eggsy's thoughts scattered as he heard footsteps approach his room, before there was a knock at his door. 

"Come in," Eggsy said with caution, aware that those were not Harry's footsteps. 

Ah, shit, how the hell had he already memorized the rhythm of Harry's footsteps?

Merlin opened the door and peeked inside, giving Eggsy a small smile as he stepped in and closed the door. "Good evening, Eggsy." 

"Merlin," Eggsy murmured, surprised to see the man again. It was… strange to see him with his new eyes. 

“How are you feeling?” The man inquired, leaning against the closed door. 

Eggsy shrugged. “It’s weird,” he admitted. “Everything is more… vivid.” 

Merlin nodded. “It will feel strange for a while, I suppose.” He cleared his throat, crossing his arms in front of his chest. 

Eggsy nodded. “Is there something you needed Merlin?” Eggsy asked, wincing internally at his own words. 

“Yes, actually. I have to take you to the training dormitories.” Merlin pushed himself away from the door.

Eggsy frowned. “What? I thought Harry said I had to stay here.”

“Not during training,” Merlin said with a shake of his head. “You will be staying with the rest of the candidates,” Merlin explained. “This is your personal room, and it you can come back to it after you finish training, regardless of whether or not you are selected.”

“Selected?” Eggsy murmured, feeling more and more confused as Merlin rambled on.

Merlin frowned. “Did Harry not explain to you how the selection process works?”

Eggsy shook his head, sure that he would be blushing had his heart still been beating.

“Well, you are set to train with me. Every candidate must pass a total of four tests in order to become a knight,” Merlin explained softly, looking straight at Eggsy as he did. “We generally don’t have more than one or two spots open at a time, so that helps us weed out the less capable candidates. I will be administering both the tests and your training.”

Eggsy gaped at the man, half recoiling. “What.. but - Merlin I don’t know how… I was just turned today! I don’t know how to-”

“Don’t worry, Eggsy, the first test won’t be administered for another three weeks.” Merlin gave him a reassuring smile as he said “and you will be privately trained by Percival.”

Eggsy eyes widened even further at that, and he stood up. “Percival is here?” 

“No, he’s not,” Merlin said with a small smile. “Harry and him had a…chat earlier today, though, and he has agreed to help you. You’ll be training with him at night starting tomorrow.” 

Eggsy forced himself to close his mouth, feeling uneasy about this whole thing. “What am I supposed to do in the tests?” 

“I am afraid I can’t tell you,” Merlin said, looking slightly sorry. “We need to test your ability to handle problems as they are presented, so the tests are confidential.” 

Eggsy rolled his eyes, but nodded. “Then what am I supposed to do now?” 

“I am going to take you to meet the other candidates,” Merlin said with a small smile. “It’s better if you start getting acquainted with them right now.” 

“Why do I feel like this is gonna end up blowin’ up on my face,” Eggsy muttered under his breath as he followed Merlin, forgetting about the possession he had in his room. 

Merlin took him to the other side of the castle, away from the king’s quarters - where Harry had picked a room for Eggsy. Merlin opened a small, side door that led them down a narrow hallway. They reached the end of the hallway, where a silver door stood. 

Merlin opened the door with little effort, pushing Eggsy inside first. The lights in the large room were still on, and there were a number of people inside. Some were walking about, some were emerging from what appeared to be a bathroom, and some were cuddled in bed, books in hand. 

They all scrambled to the center of the room at the sight of Merlin.

“At ease,” Merlin said quietly, standing next to Eggsy. “This is Eggsy, our new recruit. Eggsy you will be taking this bed,” Merlin pointed to the bed closest to the door, before turning to look at the rest of the recruits. “I expect you all to be on you best behavior,” he said, before taking a step back. “And get to bed. You have an early start tomorrow.” 

As soon as Merlin was out the door, the recruits hovered closer to Eggsy, their eyes guarded. 

“I have never seen you around before,” said a slender, short boy. “Were have they been hiding you?” 

“They never bring in recruits late,” commented another boy - this one taller and more muscular - who had gone back to bed, but had not picked up his book again. He was regarding Eggsy curiously. 

“What clan are you a part of?” A dark haired boy with what looked to Eggsy like freckles murmured, far too close for comfort. 

Eggsy took a step back, the more animal side of his brain urging him to crouch, to jump at one of their throats as a warning. He shushed the animal inside, refusing to give in to his impulses. 

“You smell different,” another young man murmured. This one seemed to be the leader of the group, judging by the way he held himself. “You smell like a fledgling,” he said, his tone low and filled with contempt. 

“What is it to ya what I am?” Eggsy finally snapped, his chest puffing with anger. 

“So you _are_ a fledgling,” he said calmly, though his eyes looked like he was ready to kill. He ran a hand through his curly hair, his high cheekbones sharpening as he scowled. “What the hell are you doing here?” 

“I was nominated, did ya not hear?” Eggsy said drily, keeping himself from punching the young man by sheer force of will. There was just something abhorrent about him that made Eggsy’s hair stand on edge. 

“No one would nominate a fledgling,” the boy who was sitting on his bed murmured, looking mildly curious. He didn’t sound like he was trying to offend Eggsy, but his words were offensive nonetheless. 

“Harry nominated me,” Eggsy said before he could think better of it. 

The room suddenly went quiet as they all took a moment to really contemplate Eggsy. The first to snap out of it and sneer was the curly haired boy, who stepped rather close to Eggsy as he murmured “Figures he’d be the one to nominate trash like you.” 

Eggsy wasn’t sure if it was the fact that the boy had called him trash or if it was the fact that he had dared to subtly insult Harry, but he snapped. He grabbed the young man by the collar and pushed him against the nearest wall, baring his teeth. 

“Enough!” A soft, female voice thundered and Eggsy felt himself being pushed away from the other young man without anyone laying a hand on him. 

A short brunette moved away from her bed, hands on her hips, her eyes looking fiery. “Did you not hear Merlin?” She said with cold ire. “Charlie, stop being a dick and apologize. Also, don’t _ever_ talk about Master Hart like that again. You may not be in his clan, but he is still one of our three kings, and it is not up to you to question him,” she half growled, her tone chiding. She turned to look at Eggsy and murmured. “Just ignore them. It’s best if you don’t get yourself in trouble so early on.”

She gave the young man a wink, before walking back to her bed, which was right next to Eggsy’s. He followed her, completely ignoring Charlie as he walked up to her. 

“Was that you?” He asked, as he sat down on his own bed. “Somethin’ pushed me away,” he clarified. “Was that you?” 

She nodded softly, giving her a small smile. “You would have gotten in trouble if you would have hit him,” she said with a shrug. 

“So, what, you can make people move against their will?” Eggsy said confused, tilting his head to the side. 

She threw her head back and laughed, the sound making Eggsy smile. “No, I create force fields,” she explained softly, walking down the covers of her bed. 

Eggsy nodded, giving her a half-awed look. “What’s your name?” 

“Rebecca,” she said with a small smile, getting into bed. 

“right, um, well thanks,” he said awkwardly before laying down. 

He sighed internally, half wondering if this wasting to be how his life would be from now on. He already knew that most vampires were assholes. Harry was an exception amongst vampires, but part of him had began to hope that, perhaps, he’d belong a bit better among them. 

Obviously, that wasn’t going to be the case. 

——————————————

Eggsy was woken up by Merlin before the rest of the group. The man handed Eggsy his clothing and got Eggsy out of the room before he could wake up the rest of them. 

Eggsy groaned as they walked down the hallway, still feeling sleepy and tired. “Where are we goin’, Merlin?” 

“Percival won’t be able to make it tonight, so you’re going to go train with him right now,” Merlin explained. “You won’t have more than an hour or two, but I figured you’d prefer to meet with him once before we start training.” 

Eggsy gaped at the man, but said nothing. Merlin took them out of the castle, which really was more like a labyrinth if you asked Eggsy. He had always been good at memorizing paths, but not even he could say he knew how to get back to the rooms. 

Merlin walked towards where Bedivere stood, looking at the moon. “Get him back here before training starts,” Merlin pleaded softly, aware that Eggsy would be able to hear them just fine now that he was a vampire. 

Bedivere looked between Eggsy and Merlin, and nodded, his face impassive. “Come on, boy, we need to move fast.” Bedivere opened the passenger’s seat before taking the driver’s seat, giving Eggsy an expectant look. “We don’t have all day, Eggsy.”

“Right, sorry,” Eggsy said quickly, giving Merlin a quick nod before he climbed into the car. He was still half asleep, but the excitement he felt at the prospect of seeing Percival again made this significantly less annoying.

Bedivere took off as soon as his door was shut, not bothering to say goodbye to Merlin. He drove just like Harry had the night prior, too fast and too recklessly for Eggsy’s comfort. He noticed Eggsy’s anxiety soon enough, but, unlike Harry, he did not give a damn. He just chuckled, patting the younger man’s shoulder before taking a sharp turn out of the complex.

Eggsy gripped his seat, but remained quiet, praying that he made it to Percival in one piece.

————————————

Percival opened the door to his house, surprise flashing through his face, before he jumped forward to embrace the fledgling. “Eggsy,” he breathed out, sounding relieved. 

“Percival,” Eggsy said just as relieved, content to see his old mentor again. 

The older vampire quickly ushered him in, giving Bedivere - who was still in the car - a brief nod. “I thought they wouldn’t actually let you out,” Percival admitted. “But I guess Harry really does want you to become a knight.”

Eggsy realized the man was speaking mostly to himself, but he couldn’t help but feel his heart race at the mention of Harry. “I guess,” he said nonchalantly, not wanting Percival to hound him right now.

“Have you met the recruits?” Percival asked, as he guided Eggsy to his backyard, taking off his sweater to reveal a plain grey t-shirt.

“Bunch of pricks,” Eggsy said sourly. “Though there’s one girl, Rebecca… she’s nice.”

Percival nodded. “Rebecca was always a nice girl,” he agreed.

Eggsy’s brows shot up in surprise. “You know her?”

“Of course I do. She’s Roxy’s sister,” Percival said with a roll of his eyes. He sighed exasperatedly when he saw Eggsy gape at him because of the rather useful piece of information he had just dropped. “Eggsy, I left my clan less than thirty years ago. I know most of the people in the three clans.”

“Why did you leave?” Eggsy asked before he could stop himself.

Percival visibly stiffened. “It doesn’t really matter,” he said carefully, giving Eggsy a polite smile. “Still, I guess I owe you an apology.”

Eggsy frowned. “Why?”

“Because I paired you with them… I paired you with Harry,” Percival said bitterly. “You wouldn’t be in this situation if I-”

“bruv, I ain’t angry,” Eggsy said quickly, cutting Percival off. “You didn’t… I am not upset about havin’ met them. I mean Harry saved my life. I-” Eggsy abruptly stopped and shrugged. “There’s nothing to be sorry about is all I’m sayin’”

“Right,” Percival said, sounding slightly surprised. “Alright then, let’s get you ready for the first test.”

“They wouldn’t tell us what the test is,” Eggsy said with a soft sigh.

“Physical combat,” Percival said without blinking an eye.

Eggsy gaped at the man. “We were not supposed to know,” Eggsy pointed out, not sure whether to feel bad or amused.

“Eggsy, I don’t care,” Percival said with a bored look. “Now, let’s train.”

Eggsy laughed softly, but nodded. “You’re gonna get me in trouble, ya know?”

“Harry knows I don’t give a toss about the rules the clan imposes,” Percival said with a shrug. “He wanted me to train you despite that, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it.”

“Alright,” Eggsy said, taking his hoodie off. “What do ya wanna do?” 

Percival merely smiled before tackling Eggsy to the ground, catching him off guard. Eggsy gasped in surprise, but was not able to shake Percival off. “You’re a vampire now, Eggsy, which means you have a wealth of abilities at your disposal. However, so will your competitors.”

Eggsy finally kicked Percival off, quickly getting to his feet. Percival threw the first punch, before crouching to kick Eggsy off balance. The younger man fell to the floor swiftly as Percival stood. “They have been training for a very long time, Eggsy, so they will have an advantage over you.”

“Great,” Eggsy said drily as he got to his feat again, this time jumping to the side as Percival went after him with another jab.

“I’ve trained you personally, Eggsy,” The man reminded him as he managed to catch Eggsy’s wrist and twisted him on the spot. “But I was holding back. They won’t be.”

“Are you telling me they are better than me?” Eggsy said with a pained groan, before he managed to get Percival to let go.

“Of course not,” Percival said with a small smile as he avoided Eggsy’s fist by the skin of his teeth. “But you’re gonna need to learn how to listen to your animal instinct while also remembering that your logical mind should stay in control for as long as possible.”

Percival started going faster, his attacks varying from full on frontal attacks to dirty tricks which he had never allowed Eggsy to use when training. Eggsy growled in frustration, unable to block the majority of Percival’s attacks. There were too many distractions. The garden was too bright; the fabric of his clothing was too soft. His body moved too fast, - it felt like it was moving too fast - and yet at the same time he wasn’t moving fast enough.

Suddenly Eggsy fell to the floor screaming as a few rays of sunlight finally made themselves known. Percival looked down at him without pity.

“Get up, Eggsy,” He said calmly, his face not showing an ounce of pain. “It takes a while for the sun to kill us. You have at least an hour or two before your body actually catches fire. This early in the morning you have even more time,” Percival said.

“It fucking hurts,” Eggsy practically screamed, feeling like his whole body was burning. He couldn’t move. His muscles were frozen as his brain tried to process the fire charring him from the inside out. He looked down, noticing that his skin looked like he had just spent a week under the sun and was now sporting an awful sunburn.

“Of course it does,” Percival said, his skin reddening as well. “But the best way to focus is if you can work through pain,” Percival said, grabbing Eggsy by the hand to get him to get up. “Come on, Eggsy,” Percival said as he twisted him into a chokehold. “If you don’t fight, you’re not gonna survive training.”

Eggsy growled, feeling the animal inside of him roar to life. He scrambled to tame his survival instincts, remembering that what Percival wanted was for him to use that energy without letting it get the better of him.

But how could he do that when he couldn’t fucking think because of the pain? His body was burning from the inside out. He couldn’t fucking fight like this.

Eggsy growled, throwing his elbow back to hit Percival in the stomach to get the man to let go. He rolled away, focusing on the image of his sister, of his mother, of Harry. He pictured Harry standing there with that little girl in Tilde’s classroom. He pictured the man screwing his eyes shut in pain.

Right. He needed to protect Harry. He couldn’t let Percival win. He needed to ignore the pain. He needed to get his shit together.

His canines lengthened as he stood up shaking, his skin starting to break and char. He zigzagged his way to Percival, blocking one of his attacks before punching the man square in the jaw. He grabbed Percival by the arm and threw him to the ground by hooking a leg around the man’s neck black widow style. They hit the ground with a low thud, and he immediately wrapped his legs around the man’s torso and arms, keeping him locked as he applied a chokehold.

He released the man as soon as Percival tapped the floor, scrambling to get back inside the house. Eggsy fell to the ground in Percival’s kitchen, feeling both exhausted and in pain as his skin slowly started to heal.

“Very good, Eggsy,” Percival said tiredly as he fell next to Eggsy, his skin looking far worse than Eggsy’s. “You need to keep that level of concretion when you are training with them,” Percival said breathlessly, patting Eggsy on the shoulder, which only made the younger man wince as his skin was still sensitive. “And we need to keep training you  like this until the day of the test.”

Eggsy groaned, closing his eyes as he let his body relax against the cold tile. Fucking hell, Percival was going to be the death of him. 

————————————

Merlin walked into Harry’s personal study, giving the man a fond look as he caught the man going through a ridiculously large pile of documents. “Good evening, Harry,” Merlin said as he came to stand in front of Harry’s desk. 

“Please have a seat,” Harry said without looking at his brother. He signed the document in his hand and sighed, rubbing his eyes. “I think Chester is punishing me by sending an extra load of paperwork,” Harry said bitterly as he finally looked at Merlin. 

“I wouldn’t put it past him,” Merlin said with a nod. “Now, you said you wanted to see me?”

“Yes,” Harry said as he bit his lip. “I wanted to know… well I assume you’ve been training the recruits all day,” Harry said tentatively. 

Merlin rolled his eyes, already knowing where this was going. “He’s fine, Harry. Rebecca told me that some of the other recruits tried to give him a hard time last night, but she stopped them before it could end in blows. He seemed fine this morning, so I don’t think there’s any reason to worry.” 

Harry pursed his lips, half tempted to tell Merlin to get rid of any and all recruits that had mistreated, Eggsy. “How did the training with Percival go?”

Merlin shifted uncomfortably, looking closely at Harry as he said “Well he had him train just as the sun came out, so-”

“He what?!” Harry snapped, his eyes turning icy cold. 

Merlin rolled his eyes. “He needs Eggsy to find the balance between his conscious mind and his more vampiric side, but he doesn’t have the time to teach him the usual way, so he’s using more… unorthodox methods.” 

“He is having Eggsy burn as he trains,” Harry said, enraged, making sure that he had the facts straight.

“Yes, and apparently it’s working,” Merlin assured him quickly. “He did very well today. He was able to tap into his new pool of energy without allowing external distractions to bother him like the average fledgling or young vampire would.” Merlin gave Harry a comforting smile. “Percival trained him very well while he was human, so what he really needs is to adjust to his new nature more than he needs training.”

Harry stood up. “Well then in that case I can help him do that. I won’t let Percival-”

“You can’t train him and you know that,” Merlin said severely. “Harry, you entrusted Percival to train Eggsy. He is doing what he thinks is best,” Merlin insisted as he too got up. “Besides, the practice will serve him well for when the second test comes around.”

Harry shuddered as he walked towards the window, looking troubled. “Just… make sure his energy is not depleted because of Percival’s… experiment.”

Merlin rolled his eyes. “I’ll make sure he stays healthy,” the man assured him before walking to the door. “Will you be attending the first test?” Merlin asked, looking back at the man.

Harry nodded without looking at his brother, his thoughts consumed on Eggsy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the lateness of my update. Life has been incredibly hectic, and it seems it's only getting hectier. I am hoping the length of the chapter will be able to make up, in some way, your wait. I am also hoping that updates will start flowing a bit more constantly from here on.


	16. Burning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.  
> Mahatma Gandhi

Eggsy woke up with a grunt, his muscles aching terribly. Eggsy had thought that three weeks was too short a time to train for the first test, but he had been wrong. He wasn’t sure he would have survived the rigorous training he had been going through for much longer. 

To be fair, he had been training harder than all the other candidates clumped together. He had to get about about two to three hours before them to go train with Percival, who was hell bent on having Eggsy train just as the sun came up, when it was soft enough to weaken him but not harsh enough to actually burn him. It was fucking annoying to feel so drained that early in the morning, especially when he had to go in right after to train with a bunch of dicks who thought they were better than Eggsy simply because Eggsy hadn’t been born a vampire but had been turned. 

He also had had to drink a ridiculous amount of blood the past three weeks, given that Percival’s training sessions were not particularly good when it came to Eggsy’s health. The only thing that made those training sessions worth it was that Merlin had accidentally let it slip that Harry was furious at Percival. Harry’s anger somehow made Eggsy happier, if only because it meant that Harry was worried about him. It made him giddy to think that Harry was keeping up with his progress, even if the bastard never showed his face around the training quarters.

Still, he was kind of glad Harry hadn’t come visit him. He wasn’t sure he could afford to be distracted by the man now when he was still trying to get adjusted to his new strength and his new senses. Percival said he was progressing ridiculously quickly, as he now understood how to control the levels of strength he used when fighting. Eggsy was pretty sure a lot of his success had to do with the fact that he had been trained by Percival prior to his transformation, so it wasn’t like he was new to fighting. 

His progress didn’t help him be any less nervous, though. Merlin had informed him that all three of the leaders were set to watch their first test, which was supposed to start in less than ten minutes. He didn’t give a fuck about Chester and Valentine, but he didn’t want to let Harry down. He couldn’t bear to think what Harry would think of him if he didn’t win the battle.

“Eggsy,” Percival murmured, pushing himself off of the wall. They were in the candidate’s privateroom, mercifully alone as the others had been given different rooms to prep as well. “Breathe, boy.” 

“I am breathing,” Eggsy murmured defensively, pacing from one side to the other. 

Percival sighed, and grabbed Eggsy by his wrists. He looked at the younger man in the eye, and smiled softly. “I know you, Eggsy. You don’t need to be nervous,” he assured him. “I want you think of this as just another training exercise. You are not doing this to impress someone,” he stressed. “You are doing this to make yourself better.” 

“But what if I lose?” Eggsy finally murmured, sounding more vulnerable than Percival had ever heard him. 

“Then you lose,” Percival deadpanned. “Look, only the last six are being eliminated, so you just have to win the first round. Stop worrying, just… give it your best and you will do fine.” 

Eggsy sighed but nodded, taking off his sweater before giving Percival a quick hug. “Thank you, for everything, Percy.” 

“Don’t thank me yet,” he said with a soft chuckle. “There are still three tests left for you to pass, if you pass this one that is.” 

Eggsy rolled his eyes, but smiled at Percival’s usual cynicism. “Thanks for the trust, mate,” He said teasingly. 

“Just keeping it real,” he said without a trace of an apology in his voice. 

Eggsy nodded and moved away, exiting the room without looking back. He took another deep breath as he walked to the large training hall where they would be holding the test. Percival was right, he couldn’t go in trying to impress Harry. This was about him. This was about doing his best and, if he was honest, this was just about beating Charlie to wipe that stupid little smile off his smug face. 

———————————

Harry sat down next to Valentine, fixing his long robes. He sighed as he shifted on his seat, trying to find a comfortable position. This was why he absolutely hated the tests. Chester was a fan of tradition, thus, the clothing the three leaders had to wear when overseeing special events were particularly stuffy and overtly… flashy for Harry’s taste. He had no problem with flare itself, he reveled in it, but he had never enjoyed wearing these bloody long robes. He much preferred wearing a nice, bespoke suit. 

Times had changed for goodness sake. There were more comfortable clothes now. Hell, even older designs of clothing were nicer than these bloody dark red robes. These robes were extremely old, which didn’t help Harry’s ego at all. He couldn’t even remember when Chester had first demanded they wear them, but he had half a mind to fight the man on the issue. 

Finally, the doors on either side of the lower floor opened and in entered Digby and Rebecca in their training slacks. The girl looked up and smiled at Harry, giving her king a small nod before turning to face Digby, crouching immediately. 

The boy too looked up, giving the three kings a courteous nod, before launching an attack against the harmless looking girl. Rebecca moved out of the way with ease, laughing softly as she avoided every hit with absolute grace. She began humming under her breath as Digby continued to kick and jab, his body reminding Harry of a bear. 

He eventually managed to grab her wrist,pulling it behind her back as he pushed her down with his own weight. She wrapped her legs around his own, using the momentum of their fall to roll to their side, effectively keeping him from pinning her down. She bent her leg and dig her heel into his knee, forcing him to let go of her arm. She immediately slid up, to wrap her legs around his neck, keeping him in a choking hold. He managed to flip around, but he didn’t manage to throw her off, her hold secure as she locked one of his arms to keep him from moving. 

They remained like this until they heard Merlin’s single clap, indicating that the round was over. She quickly let go of her opponent, fixing her shirt, before offering him her hand. He took it reluctantly, aware that she had just disqualified him from the competition. 

Harry smiled unabashedly, proud to see the girl do so well. Roxy had proposed her sister, despite the complaints from Chester and various knights. Harry had been one of the few to back the woman, and his backing was finally paying off. Rebecca was brilliant. 

Still, a big part of Harry couldn’t help but hope Eggsy would beat her, if only to get the top spot. 

Soon, the doors opened again, revealing Charlie and Richard. Harry sighed and zoned out, not caring which of the two boys won, given that neither one belonged to his own clan. He continued to ignore the fighting long after Charlie beat Richard. The only two people he cared about this time around were Eggsy and Rebecca, and Eggsy was slotted to go last in the first round. 

Valentine elbowed him in the ribs at the end of the fifth fight. “You’re going to piss him off,” he said softly, warningly, before turning his attention back to the tournament. 

Harry rolled his eyes, but finally looked back down, at where Eggsy was now standing. The man sat up straighter, smiling broadly when Eggsy looked up at them. His boy grinned back at him, taking an unconscious step closer to Harry, before catching himself.

Harry’s smiled broadened even further at that, feeling a zing of glee at knowing that Eggsy still wanted to talk to him, to be near him. If he couldn’t have anything else, at least he could have the boy’s friendship and respect. 

He watched as Eggsy crouched, his eyes narrowing down on the way Eggsy’s shirt clung to his well defined muscles. The first to attack was William, trying to get Eggsy off his feet. Harry watched silently, noticing with no small amount of displeasure that they boy was clearly underestimating Eggsy’s abilities. Eggsy, however, seemed to be counting on that when he finally attacked, jumping hard and fast to wrap his legs around William’s torso. He grabbed the man by the neck as they both fell, before grabbing his ankle, locking William in a tight hold before the boy could even blink. It was obvious that Eggsy only needed to squeeze to break the boy’s neck. 

Harry heard Merlin’s clap and let go a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding, feeling something inside him flutter with pride and desire. Eggsy looked up at him and Harry smiled again, letting his pride show as he gave Eggsy a reverent nod.

Eggsy immediately blushed and looked away, looking much more confident than he had when he had first come in.

——————————————

Eggsy sat on the sideline, unable to keep a smile off his face as he watched Rebecca beat the shit out of Charlie, officially ending the third round of fights. He had wanted to be the one to beat Charlie, but he had been stuck with Rufus. Not that he was complaining; it had been easier to beat Rufus anyway. 

Eggsy pushed himself off the wall and walked to the center of the ring, giving Charlie a smug smile as the boy walked off, eliciting a scowl from him. Eggsy merely chuckled as he readied himself to fight the last standing contestant. 

He couldn’t help but feel especially proud of the irony he and his friend had both caused. Here they were, the last two recruits standing in this particular test; one a woman, and one a fledging. They made quite a pair. 

He wanted so badly to be inside of Chester’s head for a moment just to see how angry he really was. Out of the other two other leaders, he liked Chester the least. Valentine had been rude the first time he had met him, that was true, but he had rectified his mistake. Chester, on the other hand, seemed to be an absolute pain in the ass at all times, what with his aversion to anything that wasn’t part of the norm. 

It didn’t take a genius to see that Chester despised Eggsy. Heck, Eggsy was sure Chester hated him more than he hated Rebecca, and that was saying something. 

Rebecca seemed to be thinking the same, for she laughed in Eggsy’s ear as they began to fight, easily avoiding Eggsy’s attacks. She threw a high kick and he ducked, kicking out his own leg to get her to fall. Rebecca, however, jumped before he could get her leg, doing a rather impressive somersault in the air before landing a few feet away from Eggsy. 

He didn’t give her a chance to breathe however as he jumped on his hands to impulse himself and kick down as she stood up. He hit her on her back, forcing her to fall back down with a growl. She rolled to the side and jumped, her canines out, as she wrapped a leg around Eggsy’s throat to throw him to the floor. 

He gasped for air, before grabbing her other leg and flinging her to the other side of the ring. She grunted in pain as she hit the floor, getting up in seconds as Eggsy jumped again to end the fight. 

She blocked his punch, before countering with a low punch of her own. Eggsy stopped her with his leg, hooking a leg across her extended arm that helped him bring her back down, her arm safely secured in between his legs. 

She growled and grabbed Eggsy’s arm to fling herself around, bringing her legs up to wrap them around Eggsy before finally flipping them around to free her arm. They both ended up falling, but Rebecca was quicker to recover as she rolled to Eggsy’s side and punched his face, hard, before performing a chokehold that earned Merlin’s clap. 

She released him immediately, throwing her arms around Eggsy in a hug. “Goddamn, I really thought you were going to beat me,” she said breathlessly, before pulling back with a smile on her face. “That was good, Eggsy.” 

He smiled at her, his face and body still hurting from the punches. He knew he’d recover in a few minutes at the most, so he didn’t pay much attention the pain. 

“Yeh were great,” he said as he squeezed her arm. “Though yeh was gonna rip my throat just then.” 

She punched his arm good-naturedly as she murmured. “Don’t be dense. Why would I beat the only competitor I actually like?” 

He chuckled at that, before murmuring “Well now what?” 

“Now you head back to rest,” Merlin murmured softly, smiling as the two recruits jumped up, having been too engrossed in the relief of the moment to notice Merlin coming. “Your next test will be happening tomorrow at noon, so I suggest you get ready.” 

Eggsy gaped at the man, scrambling to get to his feet. “Wait, what? Tomorrow? But we haven’t had a chance to train -” 

“You don’t need to train for the next test,” Merlin said, frustrating Eggsy yet again with his vagueness. 

Before Eggsy could say anything, however, Harry jumped down from the second floor, landing next to Merlin without a sound. He stepped closer to the two recruits, dressed very differently from the last time Eggsy had seen him. The red robes looked… regal, and old, which was both a perfect example of Harry and the farthest thing from the man. Eggsy didn’t know whether he liked the man’s attire or not, but he couldn’t deny that those robes looked like they were hard to pull off, and Harry was doing an admirable job at looking gorgeous. 

“Congratulations to the two of you” Harry said in a soft tone, never taking his eyes off of Eggsy, who immediately crossed his legs lest his body betrayed him. “That was a wonderful fight. And you Eggsy,” Harry said, taking another step closer, his eyes flashing with something dark and intense that Eggsy couldn’t quite pinpoint. “I am in awe of how fast you have adapted to your new abilities. Very well done,” he said, his voice dropping an octave. 

Eggsy swallowed hard, feeling desire pool at his loins as the intensity of Harry’s gaze pinned him in place and made him feel naked and vulnerable. It felt ridiculously good to be complimented by Harry. Fuck, he was already half hard because of a compliment. 

“Thank you, Harry,” Eggsy said shyly, knowing that he would have been blushing had his blood still been running, the man’s very presence enough to get Eggsy worked up. 

Before Harry could say anything else Merlin cleared his throat, giving Harry a knowing look. “I am afraid I must escort the recruits to their dorm now, master,” Merlin murmured pointedly. 

Harry sighed, but nodded, aware that he wasn’t allowed to talk to the recruits, not yet at least. “Of course, Merlin.” 

“Will you be there tomorrow, Harry?” Eggsy murmured before he could stop himself. 

“Of course I will be,” Harry murmured, tilting his head to the side. “I-”

“Harry,” Merlin murmured, this time more pressingly.  

Harry turned to look at his brother, wanting to argue, but desisted at the last second. “Right, yes. Well have a good night.” He gave a cordial nod to both recruits, his eyes lingering on Eggsy for just a second too long, before he finally turned around and left. 

Rebecca shook her head, giving Eggsy a knowing look before following Merlin. She had assumed Harry favored the boy in some way, considering that he had gone so far as to change him, but she had not expected to see her master so head over heels in love. 

“What?” Eggsy murmured as they stepped inside, noticing a smirk on Rebecca’s face.

“Oh, nothing,” She said as she patted his arm. “It’s none of my business anyway.” 

Eggsy stopped, feeling even more confused than before. “What?” 

Rebecca rolled her eyes and smiled again. “You can play dumb if you want,” she said with a shrug. “As I said, it’s none of my business. Have a good night, Eggsy.” 

Eggsy gaped at her as he watched her leave, not sure that he even wanted to know what Rebecca was prattling on about now. 

———————————-

“So I heard you almost won,” Percival said as he stood up from a wooden bench located in the lockers of the training room. 

Eggsy jumped back, not expecting to find Percival there, before wrapping the towel closer to his body. “Was that really necessary?” Eggsy asked as he walked towards the showers, Percival hot on his heels. 

“Well if you’re going to be serving one of the vampire kings, then you should learn how to sense a room before you enter it,” Percival mused as Eggsy took his shirt off. “Otherwise, you run the risk of allowing your… _master_ to be attacked.” 

Eggsy swallowed hard, as the idea of Harry as _his_ master took hold in his head. He fisted his hands, forcing himself to remain focused. Now was not the time to let his salacious side take hold. He didn’t need Percival turning all suspicious again. 

Eggsy cleared his throat, taking off his sweat pants. “Are yeh gonna stay for the show, or?”

Percival rolled his eyes. “I would get an earful from Merlin if I did,” He said drily, before stepping closer. “Besides a show takes time and you’ll need your rest for tomorrow.”

He looked away, clearly checking to see if there was anyone spying the two. Once he was satisfied with his findings, he inched closer to whisper “When you are taking your test… remember that, even though it may feel like you are about to die, it actually takes at least an hour to kill you… it’ll really all depend on the time of day.”

With that, the man stepped back and ran out of the room, leaving Eggsy looking pale as the second test became all too clear in Eggsy’s mind. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! As always, sorry for the delay. My schedule has gotten so hectic, writing is low on my list of priorities right now. Still, I am trying to get at least a chapter of two of my three WIPs published a week, so hopefully you'll get the next update soon enough!
> 
> Also if you want a visual of what Harry was wearing you can find it [here](http://kingsmanhartwin.tumblr.com/post/139559207394/so-the-link-i-put-on-ao3-in-chapter-16-isnt)


	17. Obvious Favoritism

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "That was my first instinct -- to protect him."  
> \- Graham Greene

Valentine rubbed his eyes slowly before picking up a cup filled with blood. He took a long sip before picking up a thick stack of documents again. It was the new treaty the humans had sent, and he wasn't liking its contents, if he was honest.

He had crossed out entire sections of petitions they had written in, and he was sure that his revisions were nothing compared to the revisions Chester would be making.

There was a knock at the door and he looked up, silently thanking heavens for the distraction. "Come in," he said softly, leaving the document on the table.

A young looking woman with dark, black hair and light chocolate skin walked in, her tight black dress making the curves gracing her lithe body more noticeable. She smiled at her mate as she murmured "Harry is here to see you."

Valentine's brows shot up, but he said nothing, aware that the man had a keener ear than Valentine himself. Anything he said would be heard by the nosy bastard. Valentine got up and walked to the door, sliding an arm around his wife's waist. They walked together back to their private parlor where Harry sat waiting.

"Ah, Valentine," said Harry, smiling softly at the dark skinned man as he stood up to greet him. He kissed Valentine on both cheeks, before squeezing his hand softly. "How are you, my friend?"

"I am quite well," Valentine said amicably, his analyzing eyes breaking the warmth exuded by his body. "How can I help you, Harry?"

The man shifted on his seat lightly, looking slightly uncomfortable. "I was wondering... Well, it's a bit silly, but I was wondering if we could forego the second test in favor of something else."

Valentine frowned, sitting down in front of Harry. "Forego the test? We haven't foregone a test since we starting doing the damn things. Why the sudden need to forego tradition?"    

Harry looked away, his jaw tensing slightly. "Well I just thought it was time for a change. In fact, I was thinking we could redo the whole-"

Valentine rolled his eyes. "The truth, Harry."

Harry bit his lip but finally said "Eggsy is new to our world, Valentine. I just find it a bit unfair that we are making someone like him do this."

Valentine's brows shot up, before he threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, Harry, you really like this one, don't you," the man said in between laughs, his voice full of mirth.

It was Harry's turn to roll his eyes.

"Well I'm afraid I can't help, Harry," Valentine said at last. "Changing the rules now will do your boy more harm than good. Chester would be furious. Besides, if he wants to serve in the guard he better get used to our lifestyle - and fast."

Harry grunted non-commitally, turning his attention to the dark sky. "Perhaps you're right," he said at last, getting up. "I shall see you in the morrow then. I still have a few things to straighten up."

Valentine nodded, getting up quickly to kiss Harry's cheeks. "Don't worry so much, Harry. He's not made of porcelain anymore. He shall be just fine."

"Right," said Harry monotonously, following Gazelle out of the room, if only to avoid Valentine's positivity.

\--------------

Harry fixed his white robes, not sure whether he felt more annoyed today than he had yesterday. Today, being that they were on Valentine's tests, they had to wear Valentine's color, just like they had had to wear Chester's color the day before. He just couldn't wait to get to his own test, if only to wear black again. The conspicuous colors were starting to annoy him, and his constant worrying about Eggsy's safety and health wasn't helping either.

He fidgeted in his seat, stilling suddenly when he saw the six remaining candidates walk out, Eggsy coming out last. Eggsy immediately looked up at Harry, making the man’s breath stutter.

“Good Morning, ladies and gentlemen,” Merlin murmured with a toothy smile. “Welcome to the second test. Today, we will test your resistance,” he explained as he jumped from where the three leaders were sitting down to the stone ground.

He motioned with his hand, and five different, metal doors opened. “For this test, you won’t know what you have to face until you get to your turn. So, I want everyone but Charlie to head to one of the doors. You will be called when we get to you.”

Eggsy went into the dark, empty room, jumping slightly when the door slammed shut. He noticed, with a shudder, that the room was particularly dark – not that that hampered his vision. It was clear that this was prepping them for the contrast when they finally came out to the light.

Soon enough, he heard Charlie begin to scream, the metal doors doing nothing to muffle the terrifying sounds. Eggsy closed his eyes and sank to the floor, taking deep breaths to try to calm himself down.

He could do this. He had already done this, in small measures, with Percival. He would be fine. He had to be able to do this, for Harry. What would the man think of Eggsy if he wimped out now? He was supposed to be strong.

Hell, if he didn’t show his strength, then he wouldn’t get to win. He wouldn’t get to stay near Harry.

With that thought in mind he braved his time in the metal room, listening as the other five candidates braved the test, all screaming like they were being ripped to shreds from the inside out.

Finally, the door to his own room opened, letting him now that it was his turn to go outside. He looked down at his hands, curling them into fists to try and stop them from shaking so badly.

He walked outside, looking straight at Merlin as he approached the stand where the leaders sat. He didn’t look up at Harry, afraid of what he would find in the man’s eyes. He didn’t want to see indifference. He wouldn’t be able to face it right now.

“Are you ready, boy?” Merlin murmured, a flash of pity crossing his eyes.

Eggsy swallowed hard, but nodded, murmuring “As ready as I’ll be, I guess.”

Merlin nodded, “You are allowed to call stop at any point, but, remember, if you do so, you will be disqualified.” Merlin raised his hand above his head and giving a go signal, that opened the ceiling, letting the sun hit Eggsy’s body.

He grunted loudly in pain, fisting his hands harder as his skin began burning. He had been wrong. This was nothing like what he had felt with Percival. Percival had made sure to train when the sun was still coming out, which weakened Eggsy, but did not hurt _like this_. Right now, the midday sun was burning his back. He was pretty sure the back of his shirt was gone, the flames having burned it away.

After a minute, he fell to his knees with a pained moan, which was eerily similar to a scream, before biting his tongue to keep himself from actually screaming. He wouldn’t scream. He refused to be so vulnerable in front of Valentine and Chester.

The torturous flames didn’t let up, and Eggsy’s arms – which were holding him up – began to tremble. He wasn’t sure just how much longer he could do this. He heard the rustling of fabric somewhere above, as someone twitched in their seat. The movement sounded restless, but Eggsy wasn’t sure whether he was hallucinating things at this point.

“Enough!” Harry suddenly commanded, his voice ringing all through the arena. “Close the ceiling,” he murmured in a low tone, locking eyes with Merlin.

He couldn’t do this anymore. He couldn’t stand to watch Eggsy burn, not for a minute longer. He would rather burn himself. He appreciated the fact that Eggsy had kept silent – he would have lost it much sooner otherwise – but there was only so much Harry could take of this bullshit.

“Harry-” Valentine murmured, his tone sharp and knowing.

“He has proven he can resist, Valentine. He is new to our world and yet he has not even let out a scream. He has proven his worth,” Harry snapped back at the man, his eyes half steeled half pleading.

Valentine looked like he wanted to argue a bit more, but he finally nodded just as the ceiling finished closing, encasing them all in darkness again. Chester seemed ready to rip Harry to shreds.

“We will talk later,” Harry said as he looked at Chester straight in the eye, before coming down to greet Eggsy. “Come with me,” Harry murmured without much preamble.

Eggsy got to his feet, still shaky, but nodded and followed the man out, not daring to look back at Valentine or Chester. He had no idea why Harry had stopped the test early. He hadn’t done it with the rest of them, so why had he showed Eggsy that kind of favoritism? Was it because he didn’t think he was as capable as the others?

He wasn’t sure whether to be grateful or offended.

Harry guided him back to what appeared to be a training room, and pointed towards one of the benches. “Sit down there, please,” Harry said, still not daring to look at Eggsy in the eye.

He walked towards a small cabinet and pulled out a small white container, bringing it back with him. “Turn around,” Harry murmured as he sat down next to Eggsy, opening the container with his gaze low.

He scooped out some of the transparent, thick paste, and rubbed the tip of his fingers with it. Then, taking a deep breath to reign in the million different emotions running through his heart, he rubbed the paste on Eggsy’s back. He tried to keep his movement as methodical and detached as possible, but he couldn’t keep at bay the little voice in his head pointing out just how close he was to Eggsy’s jugular, or how good it felt to have Eggsy’s firm muscles underneath his hands.

Eggsy froze at the first touch, but immediately relaxed as the paste took most of the pain away, and fastened the healing process. He shivered as Harry rubbed his back more firmly, his hands sure and strong. He tried his best not to think about how good it would feel like if Harry’s hands just dipped a little bit lower.

After a while, Harry leaned in and whispered, “you can turn around again.”

Eggsy’s eyes snapped open – and when the hell did they fall shut? – and nodded shakily, feeling Harry’s face far too close to his neck. He tried not to squirm, not to move his head to give Harry an easy access to bite him.

He didn’t even want to know why he wanted Harry to bite him.

Pushing all arousing thoughts out of his head, Eggsy whirled around to face the man, surprised to see a blank mask hiding any trace of emotion. “Better?” The man asked gently, keeping his eyes on Eggsy’s.

“Yeah,” Eggsy said as he looked away. “You didn’t hafta stop it, ya know? I mean, I could’ve-”

“I have no doubt you would have done just fine,” Harry said, a hint of irritation in his voice.

Eggsy frowned, his eyes snapping back to meet Harry’s. “Then why-”

“Your body is very new to this life, Eggsy,” Harry said, trying his best not to let any emotion show. “You showed a better resistance than all of them, because you were hit the worst. Your body doesn’t know how to handle even the smallest amount of sunlight yet. This test was unfair to you.” Harry cleared his throat. “And so, you did exceedingly well. I just didn’t care much for it to turn into cruelty.”

Eggsy swallowed hard, feeling both elated and disappointed at the same time. He was elated that Harry thought he had done so well, but he couldn’t help to be disappointed that the only reason the man cared this man was because his sense of justice was so sharp.

“Uh… right, well thanks,” Eggsy said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Harry nodded, opened his mouth to invite Eggsy to walk with him for a little while, but stopped short. It wouldn’t do for him to get closer with Eggsy. Percival had been right when he came barging into his castle, uninvited, to fight Harry over his choices.

Eggsy hadn’t even presented yet.

Harry couldn’t risk getting more attached than he already was. He just couldn’t do this to either one of them.

“I will have Merlin come and escort you back to your room,” Harry said as he took a step backwards. “Have a good night Eggsy.”

Eggsy watched as the man left the room, feeling a pang of longing that made it difficult to take a full breath. He shook himself, trying his hardest to let go of the feeling. Why had he expected Harry to stay? He was a king – he had better things to do than stay down there with Eggsy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know 3 months ago I said I wasn't going to continue this fic. I still don't know if I will, but I had most of chapter 17 written and I finished it today and I just felt the need to publish it. I realize I am being an ass by giving you just one chapter and no answer as to whether or not I am actually finishing it, but I believe I will at least continue it up until chapter 20. Maybe. I don't know yet. 
> 
> Anyway, yeah I figured you'd rather have this chapter than nothing at all. 
> 
> For those wondering, no I am not back in the fandom. If I do continue this fic, I will still not come back to the fandom, but do know I love you all. 
> 
> If I decide to update it again (which I probably will), I will post the next chapter sometime next week. 
> 
> Hope you like this one!


	18. Presenting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "But life inevitably throws us curve balls, unexpected circumstances that remind us to expect the unexpected."  
> \- Carre Otis

Merlin walked Eggsy back to the dormitories, a half awkward silence dragging along with them. Eggsy looked at the man from the corner of his eye, biting his lip softly. He couldn’t recall it being this awkward with Merlin when he had been living with the man in the human world. Was it because Eggsy was now a vampire? Did he disapprove of Harry’s actions? Was Percival right in thinking he would never be accepted by vampires that had been born like that?

Because that was some bullshit, if you asked Eggsy.

Merlin sighed softly and stopped Eggsy after they turned a corner. It wasn’t lost on Eggsy that they were still far enough away from the dorms that no one inside could hear them.

“About today Eggsy… I should warn you that you may face some backlash,” Merlin murmured with a grimace.

Eggsy frowned. “What?”

“Harry cut the test short,” Merlin said as a way of explaining. “And while _I_ understand why he did it not everyone will.”

Merlin tried to sound as clinical about this whole shit show as possible, hoping that the young man would assume that Harry had had purely logical reasons for stopping the test short. He didn’t think it wise to mention that the real reason Harry had gone against the very tests the three leaders had created over five hundred years ago was because the man seemed to be too hung over Eggsy to even see his resistance be tested.

That was something he could only talk about with Harry - alone.

“Um, yeah, he mentioned that… that it was unfair or somethin’ like that,” Eggsy said as he scratched the back of his neck, clearly not convinced.

Merlin merely nodded. “His reasoning doesn’t really matter, though. The fact remains that he stopped your test, and - naturally - the other boys are going to feel cheated. So, I need you to promise me that you won’t react to their comments, no matter what those comments are. Don’t give in to their bait Eggsy.”

Eggsy frowned for a second, wanting to argue that, if they picked on him, he had every right to fight back, but thought better of it and said nothing.

Merlin, noticing his hesitance murmured “Harry is already on thin ice with the other two kings for his stunt today.”

Eggsy’s eyes snapped up at that, his eyes widening. “I- I didn’t mean to cause Harry any problems. I-”

Merlin raised a hand to stop him. “Don’t fret, Eggsy. Harry knew very well what he was doing when he stopped your test. He just rarely cares about procedure.” Merlin shrugged, giving Eggsy a reassuring smile. “I am only telling you all this because I’d rather not deal with the paperwork that will surely hog my desk if you get in a fight.”

Eggsy couldn’t help but chuckle at that. Leave it to Merlin to worry about paperwork.

Merlin gave him another smile at that, both relaxing a bit as they began walking again. “William was eliminated today, leaving behind just five of you. We are expecting to hold the third test either tomorrow or the day after that, so I would recommend you to rest.”

Eggsy nodded, before asking “Are we allowed to know what the test is this time?”

“I am afraid not,” Merlin said with a sly smile, “but I wouldn’t worry too much. You have done just fine so far.”

Eggsy hummed noncommittally as he went into the room, waving Merlin goodbye as he watched the door close behind him. He could hear the other candidates moving behind him, but he lingered near the door for a while longer, not sure whether he was ready to face Charlie’s idiotic sneer just yet.

“What? Back so soon?” Charlie sneered. “Shouldn’t you be lapping at Harry’s feet after he got you off a test?”

Eggsy rolled his eyes but said nothing, bracing himself for the next two days. He really didn’t want to spend them anywhere near Charlie.

He walked back to his bed, keeping his back to the room as he quickly changed, wincing as he realized that his skin still felt tender as hell. Wait, no, it actually felt even more tender. It felt like…. Like he was still burning. It was like the very fabric of the clothes were burning him.

He needed to get them off. He needed to get everything off _now_.

Eggsy groaned involuntarily as he fell to the floor, feeling something inside him flair up, making him feel like his very insides were being torn apart.

“Eggsy!” Rebecca murmured alarmed, running towards the boy as soon as he hit the floor. “What the-”

Eggsy rolled to his back, curling into himself as tremors racked his body. His skin wasn’t the only thing burning anymore; his brain felt like it was going to explode.

“Reb- ah!” he let out a whelp as another shiver ran through his body. He could feel himself beginning to sweat.

What the fuck was happening?

The redhead sucked in a sharp breath, before screeching “MERLIN!”

The came came in not thirty seconds later, clearly still close enough to hear her call. He bursted into the room with a worried look. “What-”

Rebecca immediately pointed towards Eggsy. “He’s… Merlin I think he’s presenting… He… He’s going into a heat.”

The silence that followed her stammered out words was oppressive. No one dared to breathe as they watched Merlin’s eyes widen, every alarm in his body going off. “Go get me Roxanne, now,” he snapped, quickly stepping in front of Eggsy.

He looked up at the three boys that were still standing, paralyzed, near their beds, clearly unsure as to what they were supposed to do. Merlin stiffened even further as he became aware that Eggsy’s smell was quickly changing.

Up until an hour ago, he had had no recognizable scent, but now… he could smell an omega in the room. A newly presented omega.

Goddamit.

Why the hell was he presenting so early? it was unprecedented for a fledging to present this early.

 All three pairs of young eyes fell on Eggsy, their eyes darkening involuntarily. They were all unmated alphas, and Eggsy’s scent was enticing, particularly now that he was entering his first heat.

“Don’t you dare,” Merlin snarled as he stepped closer to Eggsy, cover the younger man with his body. “Get out. All three of you. Out, before I rip your throats out,” Merlin said calmly, his tone deadly serious.

They all scrambled to the door as fast as they could, their survival instincts kicking in. Merlin closed his eyes as soon as the boys were out, clenching his jaw tightly. While he wasn’t worried hsi control was going to snap anytime soon, that did not mean this was an easy feat. Eggsy’s smell was becoming stronger by the second, and his heat would start in full soon.

He looked back at the boy, and pursed his lips. Eggsy’s eyes were tightly clenched, and he was clearly not fully conscious anymore.

Merlin wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing, or a bad thing.

At last, Rebecca came back, Roxy hot on her heels. “What happened?” Her mate murmured as soon as she was inside the room, her voice thick with worry.

“He’s going into his first heat,” Merlin explained, letting out as little air as possible. “We need to get him to his room before it starts. Roxy, honey, you’ll have to stay with him. He needs a friendly face to be there for him, and you’re the only omega he knows.”

Roxanne nodded immediately, coming closer to pick Eggsy up. Merlin helped as much as he could, without touching the boy. He escorted the two out of the room, and ran to Eggsy’s room. “I’ll have one of our beta maids prepare anything that he might need,” Merlin murmured as Roxy stepped into the room with a now fully unconscious Eggsy. “I am assuming his heat will start when he wakes up.”

Roxy shook her head. “His heat will wake up at some point,” she said softly. “The first time is always really painful…” She shivered as she remembered her own heat.

It had not been a pleasant experience.

Merlin nodded, taking two steps out of the room. “I am locking the two of you in here once the maids set everything up.”

Roxy nodded, before murmuring “you should also talk to Harry. He’ll want to know.”

Dammit, Merlin hadn’t thought of that.

Oh the man was going to be absolutely irrational for the next three days.

\-------------------------

Harry held back the urge to roll his eyes as he allowed Chester to drone on, tuning him out completely as he lost himself in thought. He could still feel Eggsy’s warmth underneath his fingertips.

He wasn’t sure whether or not to feel bad about having used the paste as an excuse to touch the younger man again. He had hoped that after so many years he wouldn’t have to retort to something as childish as that, and yet he had.

Hell, he couldn’t even say he was sorry.

It had felt inordinately good to press against Eggsy’s back, to offer his body some relief. It had been intoxicating to run his hands up and down that soft, warm, inviting skin. He had made sure to keep his touches as clinical as possible, if only to stave off the guilt. He refused to take advantage of Eggsy in any way.

But, if the cream was meant to help, then surely it didn’t matter that he enjoyed it more than what was proper, right?

“... Are you even listening to me, Harry?!” Chester thundered, baring his canines at Harry as his temper got the best of him.

Harry sighed. “Yes, Chester, but, honestly, we are just wasting time here. I already explained to you that the test was unfair to-”

Chester rolled his eyes. “This is exactly why you shouldn’t have nominated that boy to begin with-”

Harry hissed out “you have no right to tell me who to nominate-”

Valentine growled. “Honestly, will the two of you stop-”

“Master Hart,” Merlin murmured as he opened the door, not bothering to knock for the first time in his life.

The three leaders turned to look at the door, all with different degrees of shock.

“What happened?” Harry murmured immediately, stepping closer to Merlin.

“It’s Eggsy,” Merlin replied, looking slightly uncomfortable. “He has presented.”

“Oh?” Murmured Valentine, his interest perking up. “As what?”

"As an omega,” Merlin murmured, never taking his eyes off of Harry. “He has gone into his first heat.”0

Harry’s breath stuttered as his mind came to a screeching halt.

_Oh._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, here you have chapter 18. I still don't know whether I am going to finish this fic. I am not making any promises, but the plan right now is to get to chapter 20. After that... all bets are off. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!


	19. Explanations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> one's greatest challenge is to control oneself  
> \- Kazi Shams

Valentine suppressed a smirk. “Well, then, I guess you should get to it, Harry,” he said slyly. 

Harry, feeling a little slow on the uptake, only frowned, unable to think of anything else other than Eggsy writhing in a bed with only the thought of being filled. “What?” 

“Did you not hear Merlin? He’s gone into heat. He’ll need someone to help him ride it out,” Valentine said, this time unable to contain the smirk.

Harry growled. “Do you honestly think me capable of defiling a person that is currently incapable of offering consent? No one will be touching that boy, least of all me.”

“So you’ll let him suffer then?” Valentine said skeptically.

“I’m sure he’d rather feel pain for a few days than to be practically raped by any random alpha,” Harry seethed out, before turning to face Merlin. “What is his current situation? Where have you placed him?”

“He’s back in his room, with Roxy. She’ll help him take care of himself,” Merlin assured Harry. “I… I think you should check in with Roxanne, as well as with the other trainees, as they were there when Eggsy went into heat.” 

Harry’s eyes narrowed then, understanding the meaning behind Merlin’s words. Most of the other recruits were alphas, which meant they would now consider Eggsy both as a threat for his coming powers and a toy to be used. He’d have to put them in their place. 

“Let’s go at once, then,” Harry said, giving a nod to the other two men. 

“Harry,” Chester called out, his voice sounding wary. “Do not for a second think that our conversation is over.” 

“I wouldn’t dream of it, my dear Chester,” Harry said dryly before running out of the room, to attend to the more pressing matters. 

He ran towards the training rooms, as Merlin thought the boys had been brought back in the time it took for him to go get Harry. The man was, of course, right; there in the room where the three unmated young alphas, who still looked hungry for the omega that was no longer in the room. 

The hungry looks disappeared, however, when they saw Harry walk through the door, his eyes blazing with anger. “So, I hear the three of you almost lost control when your fellow candidate went into heat,” Harry said, his voice as smooth as silk. 

“I am terribly sorry, your majesty, but, if I may, I… we weren’t expecting that,” One of the boys piped up, still looking slightly scared. “I had never encountered an omega in heat before.” 

“He shouldn’t be training if he’s that close to a heat,” Charlie said suddenly, the recent brush enough to lower his usual inhibitions. “That is incredibly irresponsible of him, and of-”

“He had no idea he was about to enter into a heat, Mr. King,” Harry said with a sneer. “None of us did. Most young vampires don’t present that early.” 

“Ah, right, he’s  _ your _ fledging,” Charlie snorted. 

Harry bared his teeth, allowing a wave of his power to rise within him to send Charlie tumbling to his knees. Harry approached him slowly, sending waves of pain through the light connection he had established, making the younger man scream. “Do not for a second dare to presume that because you belong to Chester’s clan you can be disrespectful towards me,” he said calmly, though his eyes were vicious. “I am still one of the three leaders, and it will do you well to remember that I am the strongest vampire alive. Every vampire in this room, and in this kingdom, is alive simply because I allow it, but if you push your luck you might just not be granted that privilege.”

Harry’s eyes shone bright red as he elevated Charlie above the ground, controlling him like a puppet. “I hope I have to say this just once to the three of you: respect my nominee or you might just find out why it is that no one dares challenge me.” Harry dropped Charlie then, smirking when he saw the looks of utter panic on the other two boys’ eyes. “Good evening, gentlemen.” 

And with that he walked out, aware that Merlin was trying hard not to snicker. “Chester will probably not be happy with you,” he said once they reached the next floor and he was sure the three couldn’t hear them. 

“Oh he’ll be livid,” Harry agreed. “I just don’t give a shit.” 

Merlin sighed but didn’t argue, knowing that where Harry was concerned, making Chester’s life more difficult was one of the highlights of the day. “Come on, it’s best if you talk to Roxanne before the heat really starts,” he said as he guided Harry up the stairs to where Eggsy’s quarters were located.

Harry followed without a word, knowing that his heart would be beating wildly out of control had he still had a heartbeat. He felt like he was going to both pass out and burst from happiness. Eggsy had presented as an  _ omega.  _

Obviously that didn’t meant Eggsy would choose him. So far, he hadn’t seen any signs from the boys signaling that he felt the same way Harry did. If anything, this showed Harry that he had probably felt so attached to Eggsy from the beginning because the boy was a suitable match for Harry, but that didn’t mean that bond had to be reciprocated. Not only that, but the vampires wouldn’t take to it well if Harry chose Eggsy and Harry wouldn’t put that burden on the boy. 

They reached the door before Harry’s thoughts could become any more morose, which he was grateful for. They opened the door to the little sitting room outside of Eggsy’s room and waited there for Roxy to come out as they were sure she had already heard them. 

She came out not three seconds later, looking a bit flustered and a bit worried. “Oh good, Harry, you’re here.” She gave him a small smile. “He’s doing fine so far, but the coming heat seems to be a bit too strong for a first heat, which has me a bit worried. He’ll be in a lot of pain if the wave is as big as I think it’ll be.” 

Harry bit his lip, his eyes worried. ‘“Is there anything we can do to help him?”   


“Short of helping him with his heat? No, there’s nothing you can do,” Roxy admitted sounding apologetic. “I’ll keep you updated on his progress though.” 

Harry nodded. “Make sure he has enough water and-” 

The man suddenly froze as the door to Eggsy’s room opened and the smell of Eggsy’s heat hit him straight in the face. He whirled around, his pupils dilating immediately, to find Eggsy leaning against the door. 

“Harry,” he moaned out, stumbling out of the room looking more needy than Harry had ever seen him. 

The man reached out to steady the boy unconsciously, his nose flaring as Eggsy’s scent began breaking down his perfectly solid control. He was starting to have a hard time thinking. All he could do right now was how close Eggsy was to him, how tantalizing the smell was; that rare intoxicating smell of an omega’s first heat.

Eggsy, who looked more than a bit delirious, smiled brightly up at the man, and immediately swung an arm around Harry’s neck, using more strength than expected to bring the man down to kiss him. 

Harry froze in shock for a second, before he tried to push Eggsy away. The boy didn't budge, however, biting Harry's lip to keep him in place. Harry stayed still for a few more seconds before he kissed Eggsy back with a growl. He backed them up quickly, pushing Eggsy against the nearest available wall as he opened his mouth to let the boy explore. He raked his hands up and down Eggsy’s torso, before letting one of his hands wander lower to grab Eggsy’s leg and wrap it around his own torso. Eggsy moaned in relief as he began rubbing himself against Harry, grabbing Harry’s neck even more desperately, as if afraid the man was going to banish. 

Harry in turn just couldn’t think. Everything was on fire. All he knew was that he needed more skin. He needed to get rid of Eggsy’s clothes and he needed to-

“Harry, for fuck’s sake!” Merlin growled as he finally managed to pry the man away, pushing him against the opposite wall just as Roxy grabbed Eggsy by the arm and ran back into the bedroom with the boy kicking and screaming as he tried to get back to Harry.   

Harry finally snapped out of it and looked at Merlin horrified. “I… I’m so sorry I don’t know… I didn’t…”

“It’s okay, Harry. He’s fine,” Merlin said with a comforting smile. “Besides, if it helps you feel better. He kissed you first.”

“Yes but I didn’t control myself,” Harry said, half horrified.

“Harry, you are in love with the boy,” Merlin said, finally saying what neither of the two dared to say aloud so near Eggsy. “Do you really think your control is going to be impressive when he’s in his first wave of heat?”

Harry shook his head, still looking mortified. “Let’s just… get away from here. I don’t want to make this any harder on him than it has to be.” 

\-----------------------

Percival ran through the halls of Harry’s dark castle, scenting down the man. He had gotten Harry’s message about Eggsy’s condition, and he had dropped everything to come check on the boy. The bastard had waited almost three days to actually tell Percival, because it had “slipped his mind”. 

Percival was ready to kill him. He knew the man well enough to call bullshit. He knew there was a reason why Harry had kept this from him for so long, and he was going to get to the bottom of it. 

“Percival?” He heard a feminine voice stutter out, halting him in his steps.

_ Fuck.  _

The man whirled around slowly, forcing his breathing to remain steady as he came face to face with his mother. “Eleanor,” he said stiffly, giving her a small bow. “What a surprise to find you here.” 

“What are you… has Harry been keeping you hidden?” She asked, taking an unconscious step closer.

“Ready as always to go gossip with Chester, I see,” Percival observed dryly, not giving his mother an answer. 

She balked at him, looking offended. “I wasn’t… I haven’t heard from you in almost twenty years.” 

“I am sure you’ve been enjoying the silence,” he said with a sharp smile. 

“Don’t be so cruel, Percival,” she rebuked. “You and I may have our difference, but you are still my son, and I still care for you.” 

“Do, you now,” he drolled out. “Where was all this caring when Chester tried to have me executed? The only reason I wasn’t killed twenty years ago is because Harry almost murdered the guard tasked with executing me and then had it out with Chester for almost a week before I was finally exiled.” 

His mother looked down in shame, before saying “you know I couldn’t fight him. He would just have killed us both. Harry was a king. He has power I did not and do not possess.” 

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” the man said with a shrug. “Now if you’ll excuse me-”

“Percival!” Harry exclaimed as he came out of his office, his eyes taking stock of the situation. “And Eleanor, what a… pleasure to see you both. What can I do for you?” 

“I have a bone to pick with you,” Percival said as he walked towards the man, grabbing Harry’s elbow. “If you’ll excuse us, Eleanor, dear, we have matters to attend to. I expect you’ll also be wanting some time to be able to tell Chester all about whatever idiotic assumptions you’ve made in the course of our brief encounter.” 

Her eyes flashed with fury. “You and I both well know I would never do that, so start showing some respect.” 

“Respect is something you earn and that can be lost,” Percival bit out, not even looking at her as he opened the door to Harry’s study. “And you lost mine twenty years ago, dear lady.”

Harry winced as Percival disappeared deeper into the study. “I had hoped he’d tak ea bit longer in coming,” Harry mused. “But I guess the two of you meeting was unavoidable. I do apologize for his behavior.” 

“So you really have been helping my boy all these years?” She asked, her eyes looking teary. 

“No,” Harry said with a sigh. “Percival found me but a few months ago. I am afraid I know no more than you about his new life.” 

She nodded, looking disillusioned. “Just… try to keep him safe, please. I know he and I never… I just don’t want to see him dead is all.” 

Harry nodded as he began retreating back into his office. “Of course, I’ll do my best. Now, if you’ll excuse me I do not want to keep Percival waiting. He didn’t appear to be in a good mood.” 

The man didn’t wait to see if the woman had something else to say. He closed the door immediately behind him, arching his brow at the man now sitting in his chair. 

“Did you want me to see her again? Is that why you waited this goddamn long to tell me about Eggsy’s new status?” Percival said icily.

Harry rolled his eyes. “She arrived the day after the heat started, and Chester keeps coming almost everyday because he keeps trying to corner me, so I figured it wise if I kept you away for as long as possible.”

Percival dropped his aggressive posture then and gave Harry a small nod. “How is he?”

“He’s… riding out his last wave, or so I’m told,” Harry said stiffly. “They’ll let me know once it’s over so I can go talk to him.” 

Percival nodded. “I… would you mind if I come with you when you talk to him? He’ll probably be disoriented.

“Of course, I’m sure he’d rather have you there too. A familiar face can often help after a heat,” Harry said with a tense smile before walking towards the window. 

“Are you alright, Harry?” Percival asked, tilting his head to the side.

“I’m fine,” Harry replied curtly, not moving from where he stood.

\------------

Eggsy woke up with a start, feeling as wrung out as when he had passed out after the last wave of his heat. Roxy had explained the basics of what it was that was happening to him after that initial wave but, truth be told, he could remember very little of the past three days. The pain and the need had been too great. There were a few moments of clarity that came to mind, but overall everything was just a blurr. 

Roxy had assured him that that only happened the first time and that from here on his heats would not equate having lapses in his memory. That, however, didn’t really make him feel any better about the last three days. 

He remembered kissing Harry. He remembered feeling like something had finally clicked within himself when the man had kissed him back, but, turth be told, he wasn’t sure whether that had actually happened or if it was just a fantasy that had stuck with him after those three hormone riddled days. Either way it wasn’t something he was going to ask anyone about.

“Eggsy?” Harry asked softly from next to him, letting out a breath of relief once the boy turned to look at him. “Are you feeling better?” 

“Not really,” Eggsy said honestly, sitting up on the bed. He grimaced softly as he realized the smell of sex was still permeating the room. 

“Well the effects of the heat have receded, so you should go back to normal within the next day,” Harry said tightly, his eyes dilated. 

Eggsy blushed at the sight, the image of him kissing Harry assaulting his sense, and making his rather tired manhood stir again. “Sorry-”

“Whatever for?” Harry asked, looking confused. 

“I… well the heat-”

“Eggsy that is normal biology. You were bound to present as something sooner or later. Your status as an omega is nothing to be ashamed of,” Harry said with a hint of exasperation. “In fact, in my clan, omegas are highly respected not only because they carry our line forth but because they, like alpha primes, have many gifts. And, since you belong to my clan, you too will be highly regarded.” 

Eggsy blushed again, Harry’s words sending a little thrill down his spine. “Thank you, Harry.” 

Harry gave him a small smile, unconsciously placing his hand on top of Eggsy’s own. “There’s no need to thank me, my dear. I am merely stating facts.”

Before Eggsy could answer or, worse, do something stupid like kiss the vampire king, he heard a soft cough coming from his left. He turned to look and his breath hitched as he came face to face with Percival’s knowing eyes.

“Good to see you awake, my boy,” Percival said with a sly smile. “I was starting to wonder when your sex marathon would end.” 

“I didn’t have sex with anyone,” Eggsy protested. 

“Oh but I bet you wanted to,” Percival said before letting his eyes land on the vampire king. 

Eggsy glared at him but didn’t answer, instead choosing to concentrate on the warmth emanating from Harry’s hand. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I thought i had reached chapter 20 but clearly I didn't, so I'm going to write the next two chapters. I might even go ahead and finish but i don't know yet. 
> 
> Anyway so sorry for the super long absence xx


	20. Third Test

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Loyalty and devotion lead to bravery. Bravery leads to the spirit of self-sacrifice. The spirit of self-sacrifice creates trust in the power of love."   
> \- Morihei Ueshiba

After his heat things got… slightly awkward, to say the least. Eggsy was allowed back into the dormitories the same night his heat ended. He had expected a few lewd and contemptuous comments to come from the unmated alphas in the room - and yes, Eggsy could now tell who was what due to his newfound sense of smell. But, instead, they seemed panicked to even talk to him. Charlie was the only one of the three alphas that still sent him dirty looks and sneers whenever Eggsy was near. 

Rebecca was the only one still acting normal, which is why he asked her what the problem was at the first chance he got. 

“Oh he didn’t tell you?” Rebecca said, sounding slightly surprised before she chuckled. “Figures, he probably doesn’t want you knowing how possessive he is.” 

“What?” Eggsy said, even more confused as before. “What the hell are you on about?” 

The young looking woman rolled her eyes. “Master Hart threatened them after they tried to sleep with you when you entered your heat. He even used his powers to get his point across,” she confessed. “I had never heard of him being angry enough to use his powers as a means to intimidate.” 

Eggsy gaped at her. “Wait, so he… he did that to protect me?” 

She nodded, giving Eggsy an incredulous look. “Well, obviously, he’s not going to let his omega be defiled, much less by simpletones like those three. It was a classy way to mark his territory,” she ended with a shrug. 

Eggsy felt even more discombobulated, half sure that Rebecca was living in a dystopian world where he and Harry- “I’m not his,” Eggsy suddenly blurted, not wanting to be led on any further. “We’re… I mean we’re sort of friends but that’s it.” 

The girl snorted. “Sure, Eggsy.” 

“I’m being serious!” he said, sounding offended. 

She hummed, not willing to say more. She had honestly thought the two of them were together. It was clear, at least for her, from the way Harry looked at Eggsy that the man was half mad in love and Eggsy wasn’t faring much better. Of course, it wasn’t exactly her place to tell Eggsy this. Eggsy had to see it for himself, if he was to believe it. 

She just hoped the two of them would get their act together soon enough. “Right, well, none of that matters right now. We have the third test coming up tomorrow.” 

Eggsy froze, all thoughts of Harry momentarily forgotten. “What?” 

Rebecca patted his hand. “They couldn’t hold it off longer than that. Chester was ready to throw a fit. You don’t have to worry about it, though, it isn’t anything too hard. Of what Merlin told us, we’ll be sent in to seduce a mark in order to get information.” 

“How is that useful for a king’s guard?” Eggsy asked, confused. 

“We do as the three kings command us, and sometimes they need information that humans are unwilling to share. In situations such as those, they often send us to retrieve it, and we do whatever we have to do in order to acquire - short of killing the target, of course,” she explained pragmatically. “And so, seducing our targets is often the easiest way. It’s also a good distraction technique, and it won’t hurt you to know how to charm a human.” 

Eggsy looked at her as if she had grown a third head. He didn’t want to seduce some random woman, particularly not now. He had just come off his heat and, frankly, the only thing he really wanted right now was Harry - and that wasn’t something he could exactly have. 

Rebecca patted his hand, feeling a pang of sympathy. “C’mon, Eggsy, You probably haven’t eaten much since your heat, yeah? You’ll need to be full by tomorrow. We wouldn’t want you drinking from the target.” 

‘Right,” Eggsy murmured, his eyes looking distant as he let Rebecca lead him down the hall.

* * *

Eggsy walked into the bar, feeling more than a bit distracted by the numerous people standing so very close to him. The smell of their blood was enticing, and the pulsating heartbeats made faster by the dancing and the music made it very hard for Eggsy not to walk up to a random individual in order to drink his fill.

He was glad Rebecca had made him drink so much blood the night before, or he would probably not have made it today. 

Eggsy forced himself to take deep breaths as he concentrated on scanning the room, noticing that the four other competitors were already beginning to prowl the target. They had all been given the same target - even Rebecca - which annoyed Eggsy to no end because now not only did he try to find a way to get this bird to come “home” with him, but he also had to find a way to keep the other fuckers away from her. 

Eggsy half panicked as he noticed that Rufus had begun moving closer. He couldn’t let the man reach the human girl. On instinct, he began moving closer as well, rushing to the young human’s side before Rufus could get in a word. 

Eggsy walked right up to the young woman, making sure to “accidentally” bump her without actually physically hurting her. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Eggsy said, pretending to look worried as part of her drink slashed out of the glass. “I am an idiot. I didn’t even see where I was going.” 

She looked surprised for a second, before she gave Eggsy a small smile. “It’s alright. I didn’t see you coming either.” 

“I feel so bad now,” Eggsy said, biting his lips as he put his hands on his hips to show off his fit arms. “Please, let me buy you another drink,” he said, giving her a dazzling smile. 

Before she could answer, he heard Charlie sneer “really, this is how you pick up a girl, Unwin? Excuse my friend, beautiful, he clearly has lost his touch with women.” 

Eggsy had to force himself not to bear his fangs when he felt Charlie clap his back in that contemptuous way of his. “I thought you were here with your girlfriend, Charlie, or did you cheat on her already?” 

Charlie froze in surprise. Clearly he hadn’t been expecting Eggsy to try to challenge an alpha, as if Eggsy gave a crap about shit like that. He would take on all the alphas if he had to. Besides, Rebecca would be on his side, he was sure, which meant that these idiots wouldn’t really be able to touch him. 

Not to mention, based on what she had told him, for whatever reason, he was also under Harry’s protection. 

Charlie squeezed his arm harder, and Eggsy smiled through the pain, knowing that if he would have still been human, the strength behind the squeeze would have already broken his bones.

The young woman seemed to be slightly intimidated by the prospect of being corralled by three men, and she discreetly stepped away from them. 

“Get the fuck out of her face, you’re all clearly making her uncomfortable,” Rebecca sneered, sliding up right next to the woman. “I’m so sorry these men are harassing you,” she said sweetly, grabbing the woman’s hand. “C’mon I’ll help you get out of here. 

Charlie quickly stepped in front of them, giving the young woman his best innocent look. “No, wait, I can’t speak for them but I totally did not mean to make you uncomfortable. Let me get you ladies a drink. As an act of goodwill. You don’t even have to drink it with me if you don’t want to.” 

“I hope you’re buying for everyone, Charlie,” Eggsy called from behind him, leaning gently against the bar. “I mean, bruv, we’re your mates. The least you can do if you ain’t scoring tonight after all the effort we went to” Eggsy said pointing at himself and Rufus, “is to invite us all for a drink.” 

Charlie stared daggers at him. 

“Uh, I… sure, but I’m sitting next to her,” the young woman joked, though it was clear she really wasn’t gonna move from Rebecca’s side, although she was eyeing Eggsy appreciatively, which Eggsy already counted as a win. 

He just needed to sweet talk her a little more and they’d be good. 

Eggsy turned to order them all shots, waving his hand elegantly as he pointed at the stools, giving the young woman a teasing curtsy. “After you, my lady,” he joked, winking at her. 

She chuckled and smiled, sitting next to Eggsy, before turning to make sure Rebecca was coming to sit next to her. 

Rebecca raised a brow at Eggsy. She fucking loved how smooth the young man was. It was comical to see Charlie lose his shit at the fact that Eggsy actually had a shot at this. Still, as funny as this all was to Rebecca, Eggsy was still her competition, and she didn’t plan on losing tonight.  

Before she could say anything, however, the drinks arrived, and she passed one to both Eggsy and her new companion, raising the glass with a half smile.

“To Charlie, for footing the bill,” Eggsy quipped, making the two women laugh, before they all downed their drinks. 

Eggsy froze as soon as he had swallowed the liquid, his omega senses going haywire when he realized the taste was  _ wrong _ . He looked down at his glass, his breath hitching when he realized he couldn’t see clearly anymore. 

“What… Rebecca,” Eggsy slurred, giving his friend a panicked look which she returned immediately. 

“What… fuck.” She tried standing up, falling to the ground in her quest to reach Eggsy. 

“No…. ‘becca, no” Eggsy said, trying his hardest to remain awake, to protect his friend, before the darkness finally overtook him.

* * *

Eggsy woke up with a jolt, his body attempting to snap upright only to be held back by hot silver metal ropes. 

Eggsy grunted in pain as his body fell back to the floor, the ropes restraining him easily. Fucking Silver.

He opened his eyes and looked around him, holding his breath when he realized he was underground, tied to the rails of one of the metros. He had no idea how long he had been down here, but he knew he needed to get out of here. He knew vampires were nearly indestructible, but he didn’t want to test whether or not he could survive a train running over him. Multiple times. 

He needed to get out, figure out where he was, and get back to Harry as soon as possible. If they had attacked them in the middle of a training session, then that meant someone on the inside had supplied their attackers with the information, which meant Harry was in danger, and Eggsy would  _ not _ let the man die on his watch. 

He loved him too much to see him die. 

He tested his restraints again, groaning in frustration when he realized the silver not only was burning him, but was weakening him. He couldn’t break the damn chains. He needed to get the fuck out, but had no idea how to get out of his imprisonment. He didn’t know enough about vampires to find a counter to his restrains.

“You can try all you want, little vampire,” a voice sneered somewhere to his left. “It’s useless.” Finally, a man, a human man, walked closer to Eggsy, his glass eye making him look even more morbid. “You cannot escape.” 

“The fuck are you?” Eggsy said, stopping his struggle to take a good look at the man. 

The man smiled. “Where is the vampire king?” He asked instead of answering Eggsy’s questions. 

Eggsy’s eyes widened in surprise. So these assholes  _ were  _ after Harry. But if someone was informing them from the inside why didn’t they already know where Harry was? Something here didn’t make sense.

“Answer me!” The man thundered, tired of Eggsy’s calculating silence. 

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about,” Eggsy said, giving the man a coldly defiant look. If the man really thought he was going to get anything out of Eggsy, he had another thing coming. 

The man shook his head, his eyes angry. “Stop being foolish, boy. Your friends are all dead, and if you don’t start talking soon, then you’ll be next.” The man leaned down, his disgusting grin making Eggsy’s blood boil. “What have the clans ever done for you? What has Harry Hart ever done for you, huh? He ain’t your fucking problem, boy. He's not gonna come and save you. You're just a fucking pleb. Everyone is, except those three assholes that command the clans. Just tell me where he is… and you can go free, no questions asked. You don’t know shit about the clans, boy. They kill and take and steal with no regrets. He's not a good man. You don't owe him anythig. You seem like a decent enough fellow,” the man said, standing upright. “So help me help you. Help me help other humans like myself, boy. Where the fuck is Harry Hart?” 

Eggsy felt a shiver go down his spine when he heard the train approaching. He looked to the side, his eyes closing involuntarily when the train lights hit him square in the face. He looked back up at the man. 

“Go fuck yourself, asshole,” Eggsy said with a wide smile as he let his fangs elongate, his eyes shining blood red. If he was to die, then he would at least die protecting Harry’s location. 

He just wished he had enough time to tell Harry someone was after him. He hoped Merlin would be able to protect the king. 

Eggsy closed his eyes tightly then, knowing the train was seconds away from hitting him. The hit never came, however, as a few seconds later he heard the train move past him, leaving him unscathed. He snapped his eyes open, confused. 

He felt even more fucking confused when he saw Harry Hart himself standing in front of him, a proud look on his face. 

“Harry?” Eggsy asked, his voice cracking slightly. “I… what-”

“Bloody well done, Eggsy,” Harry praised, his voice sounding like a gentle purr. “I knew you would do brilliantly.” 

Eggsy gaped at the man, not sure whether to feel furious or relieved. “It was a fucking test?” 

Harry chuckled at the younger man’s irate tone. “Yes, I’m afraid it was. You see, loyalty comes above all else, and we need to make sure you can be loyal to the clans.” 

“Where are the others?” Eggsy asked, grimacing when he realized the silver was still burning his wrists. 

“Here, let me,” Harry said as he noticed the man’s discomfort. He elegantly lowered himself to the ground, planting both his knees in between Eggsy’s open legs. He leaned down, placing one hand near Eggsy’s ribs to support his weight as he leaned down, his cheek near Eggys’s lips. 

The younger man let out a shallow breath as his mind screeched to a halt. Harry was so tantalizingly close, and the way his leg muscles strained against the perfectly tailored suit as they rested near Eggsy’s own spread legs, was enough to make Eggsy’s cock twitch with interest. Eggsy eyed Harry’s jugular, drinking in the man’s addictive sent. 

“There we go,” Harry said as he finally pressed a button to the side of Eggsy’s hand, the ropes releasing Eggsy immediately. He looked down at the younger man, his throat drying at the sight.

Eggsy’s pupils were dilated, and his pheromones were starting to permeate the air. Harry didn’t dare to look down to see if Eggsy was even mildly interested, afraid of getting his hopes up. Eggsy had just had a high-adrenalin experience, and had also just come out of his heat two days ago. It was preposterous of Harry to think this actually had something to do with him and not with a simple chemical reaction. 

Harry stood up quickly, still maintaining his regal composure. “Well, now that that’s done, we should go back home. The others should have finished their testing already.”

Eggsy stood up slowly, discreetly adjusting his trousers. “Do you think they all made it to the next round?” Eggsy asked curiously. 

Harry gave him a sardonic smile. “Of course not,” he said simply, offering Eggsy his arm to walk him out. 

Eggsy took the arm with a shy smile, forcing himself not to moan as Harry patted his hand softly, before beginning to walk, taking Eggsy along with him with ease.

It didn’t take them long to reach the surface, which was regrettable, since Eggsy was enjoying standing this close to Harry. But the car was already there, Bors standing next to it, waiting for them. He looked at the way Eggsy held onto Harry’s arm tightly, and smirked, reading the two vampires like a book. 

The man bowed his head. “My lord,” he greeted easily, only raising his head once Harry had returned the greeting. 

“We’ll be heading home immediately, Bors,” Harry informed the man, before turning to look at Eggsy. “Are you ready?” 

The young man nodded quickly, hurrying to get into the car. The last thing he wanted was to inconvenience Harry. The king entered right after him, their legs brushing as they relaxed in the back of the car, letting Bors worry about getting them there safely. Eggsy closed his eyes, hyper aware of the man sitting next to him.

Harry undid the button of his suit jacket, taking out a small flask, which he passed to Eggsy. “Drink,” he commanded in that low voice of his. 

Eggsy picked it up, suppressing a shiver as he looked into Harry’s blood red eyes. “What is it?” Eggsy asked the man.

“Blood,” Harry explained before finally looking away, trying to dispel the building sexual tension in his body. “The drug we used to put you to sleep weakened you. You need to regain your strength.” 

Eggsy nodded and drank, not realizing just how thirsty he was until the blood touched his lips.  They remained in silence for most of the ride, both content with just sitting next to one another, their bodies connected by the light touch of their legs. 

“Feeling tired?” Harry asked as they finally arrived to the castle, turning to look at Eggsy as Bors parked. 

Eggsy smiled softly, opening his eyes slowly. “A little,” he admitted. “Don’t tell anyone though, they’ll never let me live it down. 

Harry smiled softly, shaking his head. “You’ve done remarkably well, Eggsy. You’re still an incredibly young vampire, and yet you have done better than many experienced vampires in some of the most trying tests there are.” Harry patted Eggsy’s hand again, unable to keep himself from taking at least another second of physical contact. “Don’t let anyone tell you differently. 

Eggsy’s words got stuck in his throat as soon as he felt Harry’s soft touch. “Thank you, Harry,” he finally said after a few seconds, kicking himself internally at the almost breathless tone that had come out of him. 

“Master, they are waiting for you in the throne room,” Bors said, giving Harry his cue to hurry the hell up. While this was all very entertaining for Bors, he knew Chester would be furious if Harry took any longer. 

The king nodded, exiting the vehicle with efficient speed. “Let’s go Eggsy,” Harry called, running inside as soon as he felt Eggsy behind him. 

They reached the throne room quickly, the doors opening as soon as Harry was in front of them. To Eggsy’s surprise, there stood only rebecca and Charlie with the two kings. Valentine smiled broadly at Harry, while Chester just looked like he had drank pure vinegar. 

“I take it the other boys didn’t make it?” Harry asked sweetly, leveling Chester a smug stare. 

“No, unfortunately, they don’t understand the meaning of keeping one’s mouth shut,” Valentine replied pleasantly. “On a happy note, it seems we have reached the final stage of the selection process, which means that with one last test, we should be able to decided whether these three candidates deserve to enter the ranks of our kingsmen.”

Harry nodded, giving Rebecca a warm smile before looking back at his fellow leaders. “I imagine you want to hold the test tomorrow?” Harry asked with a raised brow. 

“Obviously,” Chester bit out, placing his hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “Go back to your rooms my boy. You’ll need to be rested for tomorrow.” 

Valentine hummed in agreement. “I think we all need rest. Harry, would you mind if I stayed here tonight? I’d rather not make the trip back home only to have to come back tomorrow.”

“Of course, my friend. My home is your home, you know that. I will have a room prepared immediately.” 

“I will see you two in the morning,” Chester said in a bored tone, finally releasing Charlie. “I still have matters to attend to,” he said, with a half sneer in Eggsy’s direction before heading out. Charlie right behind him.

“Lovely as always,” Harry drawled out, fisting his hands. Harry turned to face the two young vampires.  “Alright, you should both head to bed. I would walk you but I’m afraid-”

“Rules,” Rebecca finished for him. “It’s alright, I’ll walk with Eggsy,” she said with a wink. She grabbed Eggsy by the hand and dragged him out before the two men could wish each other goodnight.

Eggsy bit his tongue, holding back a protest. Rebecca already thought he and Harry were together, if he were to complain about her not letting him say goodnight, she would probably be even less dissuaded to think differently. It was best to say nothing, to avoid showing her just how much Harry affected him. 

“Becca!,” Roxie suddenly called, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. She approached her sister and Eggsy, a wide smile on her lips. 

“Rox!” She half screamed, jumping into her sister’s arms. “Oh my gosh I’ve missed you!” She said, before finally releasing her sister. 

“You are doing splendidly,” Roxy said with a huge smile. “Harry is very proud of you,” she assured the young woman, before turning to look at Eggsy. “Eggsy, would you mind if I have a quick word with you? There’s something I need to ask.”

Eggsy and Rebecca exchanged a worried glance. What could Roxy possibly want with him? 

“I’ll meet you back in the training quarters,” Rebecca said softly, giving her sister a curious glance before leaving the two of them to speak. 

Roxy smiled at her sister’s retreating form before turning to look around her to make sure they were alone. “Harry is very pleased with how far you’ve come, Eggsy. He’s sure you will make it. However, I know you, and I know your weaknesses,” she explained, keeping her voice to a whisper. “So I want to give you a word of advice about tomorrow’s test.” She turned to look at him square in the eye. “Remember this, do everything they ask, regardless of how cruel it seems. It’s all a trick, okay?” 

Eggsy frowned, looking utterly confused. “I... okay? Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you were human once,” Roxy said simply, “and tomorrow’s test will force you to choose sides. So please… remember… it’s not real.” 

With that she walked away, leaving a very confused Eggsy behind. He walked back to the dormitories with a hundred thoughts running through his mind. He was dreading to see what they had in store for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a year since I updated this fic. Everytime I think I'm done writing for this fandom, something drags me back. I am not gonna promise I will finish this, but I'm working already on the next chapter and I never threw out the outline for this fic, so there's that.


	21. Bare and Raw

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Deep down I must have always known  
> That this would be inevitable  
> To earn my stripes I'd have to pay  
> And bare my soul

“Eggsy,” Merlin called as he walked into the trainee’s dormitory. “It’s time.”

 

Eggsy frowned, quickly throwing his legs over his bed as he closed the book he had been reading. “I thought the test was later?”

 

Merlin gave him an apologetic smile. “Usually it would have been, but Valentine stayed here in the castle yesterday, so he’s been here for quite a few hours now. While he doesn’t necessarily mind visiting Harry, all three kings prefer to be in their own territory as they have a lot of things to do.”

Eggsy nodded in understanding, moving to his nightstand to pick out his training garments. “So Valentine will be administering this test?”

Merlin nodded. “Chester was going to do it, but Harry thought it better if Valentine did,” Merlin confided.

Eggsy felt a pang of appreciation towards Harry. The man knew just how little Eggsy liked Chester - and he knew too that the dislike was mutual. If Rox’s words were anything to go by, he much preferred to have his last test administered by Valentine.

He much preferred to fail in front of Valentine than in front of Chester. And he _much_ preferred to fail in front of Valentine than in front of Harry. He couldn’t bear to face the man’s disappointment.

He followed Merlin quietly, noticing that the castle seemed to be eerily empty. “Where’s everyone?” He asked as they ascended up the main staircase.

“Doing their jobs I would imagine,” Merlin said, seemingly not bothered. He took Eggsy past the throne room and into an area of the castle he had never been to.

They passed through a set of double doors and he noticed that, unlike the rest of the castle that was adorned with Harry’s colors - black and gold - this wing bore Valentine’s colors; purple and orange.

“Why are-”

“Because King Valentine is administering the test,” Merlin said, knowing what the question was by the look on Eggsy’s face.

Eggsy nodded, not saying more since he figured they were probably close enough now for Valentine to hear.

His assumption proved to be right as Merlin opened the first door to the left, leading them into a spacious, yet rather dark room, where Valentine stood, a young looking woman bound with chains behind him.

“Ah, Eggsy, good you’re finally here,” Valentine mused, his red eyes shining with delight. He motioned with his hand, beckoning the young vampire closer. “It’s time you take your final test.”

Eggsy swallowed hard and entered deeper into the room, his eyes unable to leave the woman. “Who’s that?”

“That is a member of the human rebellion that has so foolishly risen against us,” Valentine said, distaste thick in his voice.

Eggsy’s eyes widened. “How did you… Where did you find her?” He asked, feeling his mouth dry.

Valentine looked at her, tilting his head to the side. “This lovely creature here was trying to spy on me,” he said as he walked closer to the woman, who shrunk into herself, clearly afraid. “Unfortunately for her, I have _very_ good ears.”  

“What are you going to do with her?” Eggsy asked, feeling ill at the predatory look Valentine gave her.

“Me? Nothing,” the man said as he stood back up, his eyes calm. “You, on the other hand are going to kill her.”

Eggy’s eyes widened, and he staggered backwards. “ _What?_ ”

Valentine gave him an unimpressed look. “She has already been questioned,” he explained. “We have no more use for her. That is the test, boy. This is _your_ test.” He circled around the room, regarding Eggsy carefully. “You are a vampire, and therefore your loyalty lies with the clan. She is a threat to us.” Valentine pulled out a weapon - Eggsy’s old gun - and handed it to him. “ _Kill her._ ”

Eggsy swallowed hard, looking at the gun he was holding in his trembling hands. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t just kill this woman who looked so utterly _terrified_ of the fucking monsters discussing her very death. Eggsy felt sick.

_It’s not real_

That’s what Roxy had said. She had said he would be forced to choose sides, but she had said it wasn’t real.

She had also said he wouldn’t have passed had she not intervened.

Of course, she knew he wouldn’t be able to kill a human, not in cold blood, and not like this. They were testing his loyalty again, except this time It wasn’t his loyalty based upon a threat to his own life. No, they were testing how far he was truly willing to go for the clans. They were testing whether or not he was willing to _kill_ for the clans if necessary.

Eggsy felt sick. How could he be sure this wasn't real? What did that even mean? The gun in his hand was very much real. The weight of it - the loaded weight, was real.

The woman’s tears were real. Her bruises… her racing heartbeat was real. Her furious trembling was _real._

“No, please… you have to help me, please!” She said, noticing Eggsy’s hesitation. “You have the wrong person. I promise. I didn't know he was a vampire. I didn't know!”

“Kill her,” Valentine said again, this time sounding more impatient.

Eggsy took a deep breath and raised his gun, looking wrecked. His hand would not stop shaking. He wasn't sure how long he stood there, looking at the wretched woman who would not stop pleading for her life.

The woman began crying again, shaking her head furiously. “Please… please, _have mercy.”_

Eggsy closed his eyes and looked away, a pain sound escaping his lips as he finally pulled the trigger, Roxy’s words echoing in his mind. This was just a test. It had to be.

It was just a test he had to pass in order to be able to serve Harry.

Eggsy dropped the gun as soon as heard the bullet hitting flesh. He swayed, unsure whether he felt more disgusted with himself for having done it or with Valentine for having him do it. It had been real. It had _felt_ real.

“Was it a shot to kill?” Valentine asked, which made Eggsy look at him as if he had grown a third eye.

“What-”

“Yes, master,” the woman _he had just killed_ responded as she stood up, shaking off the chains. “Shot to the heart. Enough to painlessly kill a human.”

Valentine hummed, still not looking very happy. “How long did it take him to take the shot?”

“Approximately nine minutes, master,” the woman answered, picking into the wound with her hand to remove the bullet.

Eggsy staggered backwards, regarding the very alive, very unbruised woman standing in front of him. “What the fuck?!”

Valentine rolled his eyes. “Oh please, you already know some of us possess gifts. Lois, here, has the power to create powerful illusions.” He approached her, caressing her face softly before kissing her forehead. “Thank you, my child.”

The woman gave him a dashing smile. “Of course, Master.”

Valentine then turned to look at Eggsy. “You are still a little too loyal to your human past for my comfort,” he said without preambles. “If I say shoot, I expect you to shoot. You need to trust our judgement. We don't kill humans as a general rule so if for some reason I ask you to do so, then you can be damn sure I have a good reason to want the motherfucker dead.”

Eggsy swallowed hard but nodded, still not sure whether he was over what had just happened. He also wasn’t sure why Valentine was explaining anything to him. As far as he knew, the man detested that.

The man sighed. “If you were positioned to serve all three clans, I would not let you pass, not for another fifty years at least, until your human ties were a little more diminished. However, since you will just be serving Harry’s clan, and I hear you are much more willing to take instructions from him, I will approve your application.”

Eggsy’s eyes widened. “Does this mean-”

Valentine smiled, the first non-predatory smile he had seen on the man. “Welcome to Kingsman, Eggsy.” He offered the young man his hand, his eyes showing none of the disgust Chester’s usually did when he regarded Eggsy.

Eggsy took the man’s hand hesitantly, still feeling a little angry about the fucking test. “So what happens now?”

“Now Harry officially has to welcome you. You can head to the throne room. He’s waiting for you. Now, if you excuse me, I do have to administer this blasted test to another two people.”

With that the man walked to the door, opening it so Eggsy could leave. Eggsy stood rooted to the spot for one more second before quickly walking out, not even wanting to look back.

He felt dirty, like he had just betrayed a part of himself that he could never get back.

He walked slowly back to the main stairs, taking them two at a time in his haste. He couldn't wait to see Harry. He hoped that, after that whole ordeal, he could at least spend a moment with the man. He was sure that that would be able to lift up his spirits.

Eggsy stopped short, however, once he reached the intricate double doors that led to the throne room. He had never actually gone inside. Between the training, the actual testing and his heat, he had not had the opportunity to go inside. He took a deep breath, opening the right door gently, as if afraid to disturb.

Eggsy closed the door behind him, releasing his breath in one go as he felt like he had been sucker punched. There on the regal high throne sat Harry, looking every bit the king that he was.

While he sat relaxed against his seat, one leg over the other, he managed to retain the regal air around him. He was wearing his crown today - an item Eggsy had not seen before on the man’s head. The suit clung tightly to his muscles, showing off Harry’s broad arms and perfectly sculpted figure.

He was tapping his perfectly manicured fingers lightly against the armrest of his throne, his piercing red eyes drinking in Eggsy’s slightly disheveled form. He had a proud smile on his face, and the intensity of his gaze was enough to make Eggsy’s knees weak.

“Come closer, Eggsy,” Harry commanded, his voice sounding huskier than Eggsy could remember.

Eggsy walked as if in a trance, falling to his knees on the steps leading to the throne, wanting to just reach over and crawl into the man’s lap.

Harry’s breath hitched at that, sure that his eyes were probably dilated beyond repair at this point. He couldn't shake off the image currently in front of him, of Eggsy on his _knees_ , looking at his king with such devotion… it was _mouthwatering._

“Bloody well done, my dear boy,” Harry purred finally getting up. “I had no doubt you could do it.” Harry walked closer, leaning down enough to caress Eggsy’s cheek, unable to keep his fondness off of his touch, off of his eyes.

Eggsy leaned into the touch, closing his eyes as he drew comfort from the touch. “They made me kill a woman,” he said, his voice quiet and meek. “And I… Harry I don’t know if I can do that.”

Harry’s eyes softened as he noticed just how shaken Eggsy really way. He sighed, running his thumb in circles on Eggsy’s cheek in comforting motions. He ran his second hand through Eggsy’s hair, before bringing it down to his other cheek, his finger catching on the edge of Eggsy’s mouth.

Eggsy’s eyes snapped open, his pupils dilated. “Harry?”

The man smiled at him, struggling not to kiss the boy. He couldn’t do that to Eggsy. The boy was shaken and had come to him both out of duty and because, out of every vampire, he trusted Harry the most. It didn’t mean Eggsy loved him. He didn’t need Harry in that capacity. No - he needed Harry to make things alright.

Harry leaned down a little more and kissed Eggsy’s forehead softly, keeping his lips there for a second too long, drawing as much strength as he was providing.

“I know it must have been terribly hard for you,” Harry said at last. “And believe me, I am not going to ask you to kill humans, not unless they are personally threatening our realm, and even then you can be sure I will try to send you last.”

Eggsy nodded, Harry’s words allowing relieve to wash over him. “I’m sorry-”

“Don’t be. It would be ridiculous for me to truly ask you to choose sides. You were a human for much longer than you have been a vampire. You are as much a part of them as you are a part of us. There’s nothing wrong with it, Eggsy. In fact, it may prove to be your greatest strength. You can help me understand humans in a way I could never do on my own.”

Eggsy’s eyes swelled at that. The idea of being able to be useful to Harry in a way no one else could was a heady thought indeed.

“Now, I do believe I have to officially welcome you into Kingsman,” Harry said as he straightened, walking back to his throne. “Merlin,” he called quietly just as he sat back down.

The vampire appeared from out of the shadows, holding a little pillow with a ring on it.

“Proceed,” Harry said, his tone now formal and detached.

Merlin nodded, coming to stand next to Eggsy. “Kneel before your king, Eggsy, hands outstretched if you please,” he half whispered, winking at the boy before he could apologize for not knowing the assbackwards tradition they still kept.

Harry leaned forward, covering the outside of Eggsy’s hand delicately with his own.

“Gary Unwin, do you swear to serve the King now and forevermore?” Merlin asked, looking at the two from the side.

“I do,” Eggsy said, his voice sounding a little raspy.

“Do you swear to uphold and enforce the laws established by his Majesty, the King, both here and when away?”

“I do,” Eggsy said, looking into Harry’s warm eyes.

“Do you swear to renounce any other loyalties you may have, in favor of serving the King?”

Eggsy licked his lips, feeling trapped by the intensity of Harry’s gaze. “I do.”

“And do you swear to protect him with your own life if necessary, from both Vampires and humans alike?”

“I do,” Eggsy breathed out, knowing that his heart would be beating a mile a minute at the pleased smile Harry was giving him.

“I accept your kind homage,” Harry said simply, before releasing Eggsy’s hands. “Welcome to Kingsman, Eggsy,” he said, motioning to Merlin.

Merlin walked forward, offering the ring to Harry. The man took it carefully, before turning to face Eggsy. He extended his hand, clearly expecting Eggsy to give him his hand.

Eggsy frowned. “Is there a particular hand you want?”

Harry smiled, amused. “Your non-dominant hand,” Harry clarified, a chuckle in his voice.

Eggsy nodded and offered Harry his right hand, which the man took carefully before sliding the signet ring onto Eggsy’s pinky. “This ring bears my crest,” Harry explained, before pointing to his own ring. “It is the way we identify which family you belong to.”

“Welcome to the sanguis clan, Eggsy,” Harry said, squeezing the hand he was holding softly. “I hope you can find true happiness here.”

Eggsy smiled, feeling elated. “Harry… is there any way I can visit my mum now?” He asked softly.

Between the testing and the training he had still not been allowed to see his mother. He knew it was for her own safety, as they still didn’t know if Eggsy could truly control himself, but he just needed to see them. He needed them to be a part of his life to truly be happy.

Harry looked at Merlin with a question in his eyes. The man nodded imperceptibly. “I think so, yes, but Merlin will have to accompany you while you are with them. I would tell you to go out for dinner, but unfortunately, there’s been high activity amongst the insurrection groups, and it’s not safe for you to be seen out and about with humans.”

Eggsy nodded, worry trickling in. “are they safe here?”

“There’s no safer place than this castle,” Merlin was quick to assure. “So long as they are under Harry’s protection, no one will touch them. No vampire would be that foolish, and no human that suicidal.”

Eggsy nodded finally standing up. “When can I see them?”

“I can take you now,” Merlin offered, looking back to Harry as if to ask for permission.

“You won’t be joining us?” Eggsy asked as he looked at Harry, the words escaping him before he could stop them.

Harry gave him a chagrined smile. “I think it’s best if you reunite with them without my presence hindering your reunion. They want to see you, Eggsy, and my presence might make it harder to harmonize the image of you as a human and you as a vampire as the same person.”

Eggsy’s countenance fell but he nodded, understanding why the man was hesitant. Harry, whether he wanted it or not, was the very embodiment of the clans. He looked like a proper _powerful_ vampire Lord. Eggsy was sure that if Harry were to walk into a room, everyone would know he was a high member of the vampire society just by the way Harry walked. It was etched into his system just like being human was etched into Eggsy’s.

“Will I see you later?” Eggsy asked, trying to keep the clinginess out of his voice.

Harry seemed to be surprised by the question. “Of course, if not today, then I’m sure we’ll meet tomorrow.”

Eggsy nodded, not showing how disappointed he was to hear that he was probably not seeing Harry for a whole day. “Have a good day, Harry.”

“Same to you, Eggsy,” the man said, giving Eggsy a kind smile as he watched his boy walk away with his brother.

Fucking hell, he was so gone over Eggsy it was not even funny anymore. It was going to hurt like a bitch the day Eggsy finally found his mate.

“Brooding, your Majesty?” Percival said sardonically as he entered into the room from a small side door that was known to few.

“You know you could have come in, right?” Harry asked without actually looking at him.

Percival smirked. Of course, the bastard had known he was there. Harry was nothing if not good at his job. “I figured it was better to let you do all that stuffy swearing without me here.”

“I’m sure he would have appreciated your presence,” Harry said easily, finally turning to look at Percival. “I wasn’t aware you were coming today.”

Percival hummed. “I came to warn you.”

Harry raised a brow. “What do you mean?”

“I received a report this morning. The humans have begun tactical raids. They took down the convoys full of bagged blood headed for your castle.”

Harry froze, shock clear on his face. “What? But that’s… they shouldn’t have enough manpower to do that. There were vampires from all three clans there.”

Percival nodded, looking grimm. “There must be a mole within the clans. Someone tipped them off as to the route, and, to make matters worse, they are getting good at killing vampires.” Percival walked closer, passing Harry a folder.

The man opened the folder, looking at the bodies of his dead soldiers. Harry growled, his ire rising swiftly. “How dare they harm my people,” Harry seethed, his eyes shining as his more animalistic side began to wake. “ _I will kill them all_.”

Percival touched Harry’s arm softly, trying to calm the man down. “We will deal with them, Harry, but first we need to deal with the consequences of this. You clan will run out of blood in two days without the new supplies and it will take us at least a week to get you a new shipment. We need to figure out a way to get blood here without the humans knowing.”

“What do you propose?” Harry asked, looking up at Percival as he took deep breaths.

“We need to send decoys. We’ll announce that you are bringing blood through the usual B route, but we’ll actually send them with my people, through the catacombs.”

Harry seemed even more surprised to hear that. “You would risk your people… for me?”

Percival looked away. “I might not like vampires as a whole, but I’m not gonna let your people starve to death when they are the nicest ones of the clan. Besides you without blood…. Is not a sight I want to see. Not to mention, Eggsy is here now, and I’m not gonna risk him.”

Harry’s eyes softened. Even now it was hard for Percival to open up to him again. “Thank you…. My friend.”

Percival’s eyes snapped back to Harry, nodding stiffly. “What will you do in the meantime?”

“The blood will be distributed in smaller amounts amongst my people. They will endure for the week,” Harry assured him.

“And you?” Percival asked quietly. “You have to know they’re probably planning to attack soon, they’re going to try starving you to weaken you.”

“My people come first,” Harry said simply. “I can survive a week without blood,” Harry said, though he didn’t sound as confident as before. “I have done it before.”

“And look how well that worked out last time,” Percival said dryly.

Harry smirked. “What would you have me do, Percival? I don’t have a mate to drink from, and my people can’t starve. It’s my duty to put their safety first.”

The man sighed but didn’t say anything else about the subject. “I should get going. I have to ste up the convoys and I need to get my best trained men ready for the job. Keep a phone near you, will you? I’ll need to contact you.”

Harry nodded, finally stepping away from his throne. “I’ll send a few of my men to track down the men who did this.”

“Be careful, they are better trained than any human insurrection we’ve seen,” percival warned. “Oh, and Harry? Be careful with Eggsy. Remember that no matter how much he is drawn into the circles of the clan, he’s still more human than any of you.”

Harry nodded. “I will keep him safe.”

“Don’t get too attached,” Percival said as he opened the door. “For your own sake.”

Harry sighed. “I don’t think that’s possible anymore, but it matters not. I would never stake a claim that isn’t mine to make.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the emblem's are as follow: 
> 
> [This](https://theearthwhispers.deviantart.com/art/Vampire-Crest-336170349%20) is Valentine's. [This](https://matrixly.deviantart.com/art/rachels-crest-from-blazblue-204292580%20) is Chester's and [This](http://weknownyourdreamz.com/symbol/sl1328597.html%20) is Harry's. 
> 
> The ceremony is a bit like the feudal ceremony of swearing loyalty to a king or lord. The hand holding was how they paid homage and you can find a reference [here](http://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/M087437/A-Vassal-doing-Homage-to-his-Lord).


	22. Rationing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “They say when you are missing someone that they are probably feeling the same, but I don't think it's possible for you to miss me as much as I'm missing you right now”   
> ― Edna St. Vincent Millay

Merlin walked down the stairs with Eggsy in tow, the boy feeling like his heart was on his throat. Now that being able to see his mother again was a reality, he wasn’t sure how he felt about it. He didn’t know what she would say, but he wasn’t sure he could take her anger or her distrust, not when he himself was still adjusting to his new life.

Merlin took them to a wing of the castle Eggsy had never been to. To Eggsy’s surprise, the reinforced windows on this side of the castle were not tinted black to keep the sunlight out, and the lighting itself was much brighter than in the rest of the place. Thankfully, it was raining out, and therefore no sunlight was filtering through the bright windows, but it still surprised Eggsy to see such a radical difference. 

“Merlin… what’s up with all this?” Eggsy said as he nodded towards the window. 

Merlin gave him a small smile as he side eyed him. “This is the part of the castle where we host our human guests. I don’t know if you remember, but I did once tell you that while most vampires rely on their mates and blood bags, there’s some vampires that are not mated and therefore rely solely on human blood - be it bagged or from the source. We generally prefer to have blood from the source, but due to the level of unrest recently, we’ve been relying a little more heavily on bagged blood.”

Eggsy nodded absently, swallowing hard. “They don’t think me mum and daisy are-”

“Oh no, not at all. Harry made it very clear when they were brought to the castle that they were his personal guests.” Merlin shrugged delicately. “Still, we figured they would feel more comfortable in the small area of the castle that is meant to be lived in by humans.” 

Eggsy nodded gratefully, coming to a halt when Merlin stopped in front of a double set of mahogany door.

“Enjoy your time with your family, Eggsy,” Merlin told him warmly, before stepping away, retreating back into the hall. “I’ll come back in a few hours, to show you the way back to your room. That way you’ll know how to get from here to there on your own.”

“Thanks, bruv,” Eggsy said quietly, standing very still in front of the imposing door.

Right, time to face the music.

Eggsy knocked quickly and opened the door, peering inside to find Daisy playing on the floor with legos while Michelle was sitting near her on an armchair, her gaze focused on the TV propped up on the wall, which was showing the morning news. She turned to face the door, her eyes widening when she saw her son’s face.

“Eggsy!” She squeaked, getting immediately up on her feet. She ran to the door, throwing her arms tightly around her son. “Oh my god, Eggsy, thank god you’re a’right! I have been asking every day to see you, but they kept saying you was testing for something and that it was too dangerous.” 

“Eggsy!” His sister screamed excitedly, promptly dropping her legos to walk to her brother on wobbly legs, grabbing onto his trousers. 

Eggsy held his breath for a moment, not having been expecting the hug. He was still a little new at this whole thirst thing, and the last thing he wanted was to hurt his mother. “I’m a’right mum, sorry I ‘aven’t been able to come visit. I was real busy, and yeah, it’s not the safest thing to be near me right now,” he confessed as he gently pulled away, not wanting to scare her. Daisy, however, refused to budge. 

Michelle’s eyes were two pools of worry. “What did they do to yeh?” 

Eggsy shook his head. “No mum, it ain’t like that-”

“One of them blokes, a bald man, said they had turned you into one of ‘em. Is that true?” She asked softly, a tinge of fear in her eyes. 

Eggsy’s countenance fell, the relief he had felt at feeling his mother hug him quickly turning back into fear of her reaction. “Yes,” he said after a few tense second. “Yes, I… I’m a vampire now,” Eggsy finished quietly. 

“Eggsy!” His sister repeated, throwing her hands in the air, clearly demanding to be picked up. 

Before Eggsy could either agree to or deny his sister’s request, Michelle grabbed the young girl, much to the her displeasure. Eggsy bit his tongue, feeling like he had been slapped. 

“I’m not gonna hurt her,” he snapped at his mother, some of his hurt bleeding into his voice. 

She flinched slightly, looking guilty. “You just said it was dangerous!” she defended herself, taking a step back as well. 

Eggsy sighed, unable and unwilling to argue with his mother. He shook his head. “I should go. Sorry I bothered you,” Eggsy said tiredly as he turned away to leave. 

“No, Eggsy, wait!” His mother said immediately without thinking about it. She looked torn, clearly unsure whether she wanted him there or not. 

“Look mum… it is what it is. I’m a vampire now, there’s nothin’ I can do about that,” Eggsy said firmly, turning to look at the woman. 

Her eyes turned hard. “Who did this to you? I ought to give them a talkin’ to. How dare these assholes-”

Eggsy shook his head again, looking slightly annoyed. “Harry didn’t do it to be an ass, mum, he changed me to save my life,” Eggsy seethed. “Dean’s goons fucking  _ shot  _ me, not that you would care,” he said, his hackles now raised at the indirect insult aimed at Harry. “I’m only here because he gave a fuck about whether I lived or died. Hell,  _ you’re _ safe because he’s been protecting you.” 

Michelle flinched at Eggsy’s angry words. “Of course I would have cared,” she said, sounding hurt. “I… I’m sorry it’s just… It’s something I’ll have to get used to, I guess,” she said quietly. 

Eggsy rubbed his eyes. “Mum, I haven’t changed. It’s still me. It don’t matter whether I eat fish and chips or if I have to drink blood bags to survive. That shit don’t dictate my life. I need you do understand that.” 

His mother swallowed hard but nodded, taking a step closer. “Okay, Eggsy… I trust you.” She took a deep breath, clearly still a little uneasy. “So, what was all the testing they was talking about?” 

Eggsy smiled, a little more relaxed. “Harry proposed me as his candidate for Kingsman, which is like this elite group that protect the kings and shit.” 

She frowned. “Who’s Harry?” 

“Harry Hart,” Eggsy clarified, smiling at the way his mother’s eyes widened. 

“Harry Hart as in the bloke that is one of the kings?” 

Eggsy nodded. “Didn’t they explain nothin’ to you when they brought you?”

Michelle’s eyes gleamed with fury. “Not really, they told me that you had been attacked and that one of them vampires had protected you but had killed Dean in the process. They said we had to stay here for our safety and that you was one of them and that you had to start training. I wasn’t sure how much of that was true though,” she admitted. 

Eggsy nodded, half in understanding. He could still remember a time where he himself hadn’t trusted vampires. Well, truth be told, he still didn’t fully trust them. He did, however, trust Harry and his people. 

“Well, that’s all true. Harry came and saved me from Dean and those trashbags that worked for him. I don’t really know what happened, since I was unconscious, but Harry told me he reacted on instinct and killed ‘em.” He shrugged, wincing slightly. “He’s… not generally like that. He actually likes humans, but I’m guessing if you ‘ave a gun pointed at your head it ain’t gonna make you react all that well.” 

His mother quietly considered Eggsy’s words. She had heard enough about the vampire Lord on the news to know how reserved, polite, and posh the man was. If he had resorted low enough to kill humans himself… clearly there was more to the story that Eggsy was letting on, or maybe even more than what Eggsy himself knew. Either way, this just made the matter of meeting Harry even more pressing. 

“Well, where is he?” She asked expectantly, finally giving in to Daisy’s little quiet please to be allowed to go to her brother’s arms. 

Eggsy grabbed her hesitantly at first, before giving her a kiss on the forehead and a tight hug, much to the girl’s delight.

Michelle gave them a moment to properly greet each other, before raising a brow expectantly at Eggsy.

“I don’t know what you mean,” he admitted, looking slightly confused. 

Michelle rolled her eyes. “Where’s the king,” she said, “Why didn’t he come with ya?” 

Eggsy would have blushed if he could have. “Mum, Harry’s the bloody  _ king _ , he doesn’t run on my schedule,” Eggsy whined. “‘Sides he said he wanted me to have time to talk to you on my own, since he… you know, didn’t wanna scare you or something,” Eggsy said, looking at anywhere but his mother. 

Before his mother could reply, a knock at the door rang clear through the room. 

“Come in!” She said immediately, moving a half step to her right to be able to see the door.

Merlin walked in immediately, his eyes landing on Eggsy. “I do apologize to have to cut your time together short, but the King has called for a clan meeting and as part of kingsman I’m afraid you are required to be there.” 

Eggsy hid his surprise, instead nodding, turning to give his mother an apologetic smile. “I’ll come back soon, I promise okay?” 

His mother nodded, pulling Eggsy in for a hug. “Be careful, okay? And have that king of yours come say hi one of these days,” she demanded, not giving a toss by Merlin’s raised brows. 

Eggsy chuckled but nodded, giving her a kiss on the cheek before turning around to follow Merlin. Once they were far enough he said “Is the whole clan gonna be at this meeting?” 

Merlin shook his head. “Just the nobles,” Merlin explained, chuckling at Eggsy’s derisive snort. “Our nobles are not like your human aristocracy. Every vampire is respected, Eggsy, but there’s some that have been around longer and therefore have more power or influence in the human realm, or there’s some others that have particular skills that are useful to the crown. Because there’s a fairly sizeable number of us, it’s easier if Harry delegates some managerial tasks to others. Those with power have a better capacity to serve him and thus are our nobles. While they do enjoy more recognition, they’re not condescending assholes - at least not the ones in our clan. The ones in Chester’s clan on the other hand-”

“Are just as bright and sunny as Chester himself?” Eggsy suggested sarcastically, earning a chuckle from Merlin. 

“Quite.” 

“So what’s the meeting about?” Eggsy asked as they neared the throne room.

“Well, you’re about to find out,” Merlin said cryptically as he opened the door to the throne room, where a number of vampires were already gathered, some actually physically there and others there as holograms. They were all sitting in a large circle, which was partially open as a space was left between the king’s throne and the nearest two chairs.  Merlin walked past many of them, not staying long enough to chat, but giving them at least a courteous nod as he passed.

Eggsy wasn’t sure if he was meant to follow the man or not, but considering he didn’t know any of the posh wankers currently in the room, and considering the fact that he was now part of the king’s personal guard, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to stay close to the King’s right hand man. 

Merlin approached the throne, standing a few feet to the side, clearly waiting for Harry to show up. There was a look of  insufferable fondness in his eyes, that made it clear it wasn’t the first time the king was late, nor would it be the last. He looked at his watch, humming under his breath as they continued to wait in silence. 

Soon enough, the room went absolutely quiet and still, as the main doors opened again, revealing a regal looking Harry Hart, who was closely followed by Rebecca and Kay. Harry was wearing a dark navy blue three piece suit, which elegantly clung to his frame. The crown Eggsy was now becoming familiar with sat proudly on the man’s perfectly combed hair, and he wore a long pendant with his crest on his neck. 

All in all, his imposing figure was enough to make Eggsy’s blood rush south, which was  _ not _ what he needed right now. He distracted himself as best he could with the fact that Rebecca was the one currently standing a few steps behind Harry, looking sharply at everyone in the room as if daring them to step closer, which meant the girl had made it into Kingsman as well. 

Not that Eggsy had ever doubted it, as rebecca was a force to be reckoned with. Eggsy was a bit jealous that she was the one Harry had picked to guard him, especially since she was as new as him, but at the same time he understood. Her shield was extremely handy, particularly when it came to close physical protection. 

Harry walked up the stairs all the way to his throne, before turning around to face his audience. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” Harry said as he took a seat, Kay and Rebecca coming to stand directly behind the throne, their arms behind their back and their legs shoulder-width apart. Eggsy signed, feeling a pang of longing now that he could only see Harry’s profile.

Everyone in the room either bowed their head or murmured a small, respectful greeting, in response to king.

“I’m sure you’re all wondering why it is that I have summoned you this morning,” Harry said with a tentative smile, “I do apologize for cutting short anyone’s sleep.” 

“I’m sure everyone here understands that urgent matters come first, your Majesty,” A silver haired woman said, her youthful face a stark contrast to the color of her hair. 

Harry hummed in agreement. “I’m afraid the insurrection has started moving again, this time against our clan personally.” 

Everyone tensed, and a few angry murmurs ran across the room before the man sitting to Harry’s right spoke. “I haven’t been informed on any attack against our people,” he said softly, looking wary. “Was this today?” 

“It wasn’t a direct attack against any member, no,” Harry said, calming the man. “And yes, this happened earlier today. I’m told it happened at dawn. We don’t know what happened yet, but our convoys were attacked, and every vampire protecting the blood bags stored there were killed.” 

“Impossible,the convoys are always heavily guarded,” another man spoke up, looking horrified. “How in the hell would they be able to take it down?” 

“More importantly, how did they find out our route?” A dark skinned man pointed out, looking angry.

“It is all being looked into at the moment,” Harry answered calmly. “We have a few ideas as to how this might have happened, but I’m afraid until we have more information, I would prefer not to speculate. As of right now another fleet has been stocked and is on it’s way. Unfortunately, we will not be getting new blood supplies for at least a week.” 

“We need to ramp up defenses,” the woman to Harry’s left said, her countenance severe. “They will probably try to attack now, when our resources are limited.” 

“The guards will be doubled, and the blood supplies we do have will be rationed. Anyone that is mated will receive a smaller supply, given that they can subsist on their mate’s blood for a week. Those unmated, or with high power levels, will have access to more blood than the rest,” Harry instructed, his nobles nodding along without a fight. “As a way of goodwill, the crown will abstain from any and all blood reserves until the convoys have arrived.” 

Eggsy’s eyes widened at that, feeling his blood run cold. Harry couldn’t go without blood, Merlin had said so himself. The man needed not only blood to subsist, but blood to control his powers - powers Eggsy had yet to see. It was ridiculous of Harry to abstain from drinking. It was the worst possible time to weaken himself, and Eggsy would not let that happen. 

Before he could speak up and ask Harry if he was taking the fucking piss, however, the vampire to Harry’s right spoke again, looking almost as agitated as Eggsy felt. “Your Majesty, you cannot mean that. You, above all, cannot simply not eat. If the humans attack, you cannot afford to be in a weakened state. I implore you, your Grace, reconsider your position. Others of us can give up our rations if necessary.” 

Harry shook his head, as obstinate as usual. “My job is to protect my people. I cannot leave  _ them _ weakened if we are indeed attacked. I have capable knights ready to protect me, they do not.” 

The man rubbed his face, clearly annoyed. “And if your knights can’t protect you?”

“Then I can protect myself,” Harry replied simply, a hint of annoyance in his eyes. “I will not change my mind, Edgar, but I do appreciate your concern.”

Merlin put a hand on Eggsy’s forearm, clearly sensing the boy’s unrest. He shook his head imperceptibly, looking as annoyed as the Edgar bloke but also resigned. 

Eggsy grit his teeth but acquiesced to Merlin’s insistence. He would find a way to corner Harry later to let him know just how dumb his idea was. He might be his king now, but so far Harry had not minded Eggsy pointing out when he thought something was wrong or stupid, so at least he could try. 

\--------------------

“Becca!” Eggsy called as he saw the young woman walking out of what he had been told was Kay’s office. 

She turned to look, her eyes brightening when her eyes landed on the young man. “Eggsy! I was actually just about to go look for ya. Congratulations on making it into Kingsman.” 

“Yeah mate, we made it! Well we knew you would though,” he said with a wink as he finally caught up with her. “Do yeh know what happened to that arsehole Charlie?” 

The woman giggled. “Yes, he didn’t make it. When Valentine instructed him to kill the woman, he decided to forego the weapon and go straight for her jugular.” 

Eggsy’s eyes widened. “Fuck, is she okay?”

“Yeah she fend him off immediately, but that got him disqualified.” She shrugged. “They want people that can take a human down, but they don’t generally take bloodlusting very well, particularly not Valentine and Harry.” 

Eggsy smiled, feeling ridiculously proud of Valentine for not letting scumbags like that make it in. 

“Have you seen Harry, by any chance?” Eggsy asked, suddenly changing the subject. He had tried talking to the man later the same day of the meeting, but he hadn’t been able to find him.

It had been two days since then, and he still had no fucking clue where the king was. He had been stupidly busy, what with the reinforcements of the castle which made him do double duty, so he hadn’t truly had the time to go looking for Harry, but truth be told he was starting to get worried. 

The woman shook her head. “Merlin probably knows,” she offered. “I think he was in his private quarters.”

“I don’t know where his room is,” Eggsy whined, feeling like punching a wall. 

The woman chuckled, squeezing his arm. “C’mon I’ll take you,” she offered, taking him by the hand as they sped down the hallway. “He’s in the royal wing, not that far from the king’s quarters.”

Eggsy nodded. “Is it just Harry and Merlin there?” he said, just realizing the two had never mentioned anyone else that could potentially belong to the royal family. 

“Yeah, it’s just the two of them - well and Roxy, since she’s Merlin’s mate. Harry’s parents used to be there before too, a long time ago,” she said, slowing down her pace. 

“Were they killed?” Eggsy asked, a bit afraid to hear the answer. 

“No, they just grew… tired, I guess. They went into the eternal sleep, as we call it. Still, Harry was devastated. He was still somewhat young and, with his mother gone, the crown fell on him.” Rebecca sighed, looking sad. “Merlin helped him through it, though, since he was older and all.”

Eggsy frowned. “Wait, if Merlin is older than Harry… shouldn’t he be king? Since he’s the older brother and all.” 

“Well technically they’re not brothers, not by blood anyway,” she said with a wink. 

Eggsy froze. “What?”

She frowned. “Harry never told you? Merlin’s parents were murdered by humans centuries ago, before the clans were divided into three, actually. They had been dear friends of Harry’s mother, so she took Merlin in when he was child. Of course, since he had no royal blood, he was groomed differently from Harry. He was trained to serve him.”

Eggsy gaped, appalled. “What the fuck? So, wait, he had to grow up like a servant, because he wasn’t a bloody royal?” 

Rebecca shook her head quickly. “Don’t be daft, Eggsy. Harry’s parents loved them both, and as far as he’s told me, they were always kind and warm with him. He didn’t have a terrible childhood, so don’t get your knickers in a twist. He wasn’t dumb, he knew they had taken him to honor his parents, but that didn’t mean he was heir to the throne. If anything, that made him even more willing to help Harry in any way he could.”

Eggsy swallowed, feeling slightly guilty for having assumed the worst. “Right, sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about, just don’t jump to conclusions,” she said with another wink, before opening a set of golden doors that led to the ridiculously long and ornate hallway Eggsy had seen only once before. 

“The royal wing,” she explained. 

“I know, I’ve been in Harry’s bedroom before. I just didn’t know how to get here.”

The girl hummed, not willing to comment on  _ that _ . She turned to the first set of silver doors, opening much like Eggsy would have - without knocking. This turned out to be a mistake, as they came face to face with Roxy and Merlin laying on one of the couches of their waiting area, their clothes all thrown haphazardly around the room.

Rebecca and Eggsy froze, as the image of Roxy moaning like she was in a porno as Merlin bit her neck  _ burned _ into their retinas. Eggsy was the first to snap out of it, quickly grabbing Rebecca by the wrist as he all but ran from the room, closing the door as softly as he could behind him. He kept running after that, not stopping until he was sure they were well and truly out of the royal wing. 

“ _ What the fuck? _ ” He snapped, turning to look at Rebecca. “I… I didn’t hear them… the door.” 

The young woman burst out laughing, clutching at her stomach as she tried to force herself to calm down. Eggsy wasn't sure if it was genuine or nervous laughter. “The doors are soundproof,” she explained when she was calm enough to take a breath, looking mortified. “Oh god, I wasn’t expecting them to be feeding… I mean for fuck’s sake, it’s not even nighttime yet!”

“Is that what they mean by feeding on your mates?” Eggsy asked, his mind, as usual, going back to Harry. “I didn’t realize these posh wankers would be okay with having filthy sex like that,” Eggsy commented before he could think better of it.  

Rebecca laughed again. “You don't need to sleep with them to bite them, no,” she said, shaking off the shock. “And you don't need to be mated to feed either, but feeding from another vampire creates a very strong emotional bond between them so we only do it between mates,” she explained. “It's more satisfying than human blood but a lot less effective,” she admitted, her cheeks blushing. 

Eggsy raised a brow. “You’ve tried it?”

“Uh… kind off,” she said with a wince. “I mean I… yeah.”

“Whoever you tried it with… they’re not your mate are they?” Eggsy said quietly, not sure if he was allowed to feel bad for his friend.

“No, he is, we just… we haven't bonded yet because… we weren't sure if we were ready for all it entails and we weren't planning on drinking from each other but since the rationing…” she blushed again.

“I promise I won't tell,” Eggsy said with a wink.

She seemed relieved. “Thank you, Eggsy. Anyway, I can take you to your room if you want? That way you know how to get here. You can try asking Merlin about Harry later.”

The young man nodded, following rebecca quietly as they made their way to his room. They were surprisingly close to the royal wing. 

“God, I don’t know how I’m gonna look at Merlin in the eye later,” Eggsy muttered, still looking embarrassed. 

“Oh don’t worry, he has no idea we were there,’ she assured him, patting his arm. 

Eggsy froze again. “Are you taking the piss? We barged into his room and you think he didn’t notice?” 

She shook her head. “He was feeding from his mate, Eggsy. It’s a very… heady thing. You lose awareness of your surroundings most of the time. I would be very surprised if he did notice, to be honest.” 

Eggsy opened and closed his mouth, not sure how to answer. “I can't believe I couldn't find it on me own,” he huffed out after a while, once they reached his room. While this was a tad embarrassing, it was a much safer topic than talking about…. Anything else really. “I didn't know I was this close to Harry!” 

Rebecca chuckled. It was obvious to her just how little Eggsy knew about how  _ close  _ Harry wanted him. Perhaps it was because he hadn’t been born a vampire, but honestly the fact that Harry had allowed Eggsy into his  _ bedroom  _ should have been this idiot’s first clue. 

Everyone was welcome to go into his waiting room, but the only person aside from Harry that was actually allowed into his bedroom was Merlin and that was because he was the man’s brother. In general, vampires avoided having visitors in their resting places, both due to safety and due to how intimate it was due to their keen sense of smell. It was hard to erase someone's smell once they entered one’s bedroom, particularly if they stayed for more than a few minutes. Harry, who probably had the keenest sense of smell out of all of them, was therefore even more unwilling to let people in. 

So for Harry to willingly let Eggsy be in his room, then that showed just how much the man cared for Eggsy. 

“Alright, I’m gonna go now. My round starts in a bit, and I can’t be late,” Rebecca said before coming close to hug Eggsy, kissing his cheek softly. “Don’t worry so much, I’m sure Harry’s fine. He’s probably just as busy as you are.” 

Eggsy didn’t reply, preferring instead to watch her go before going back into his room. He locked the door behind him, dragging himself to his bed. He had a few hours of downtime before he himself had his rounds again. He buried his head in the pillow, his thoughts immediately going back to Harry. It was very faint, but Eggsy could still smell the man from when he had come to see him for a few minutes during his heat. He knew the man hadn’t actually come into the room, but Eggsy had come into his room smelling like Harry. 

He had thought at first that the memory of kissing Harry was just an illusion his heat-addled mind had conjured up for his own benefit, but this notion had been quickly dispelled once Merlin had allowed him to go back to his room. He could smell, albeit faintly, the traces of his heat, and Harry’s scent was mixed up in there. The kiss had been  _ real _ . He had actually kissed the vampire king, and the man  _ had responded _ . 

Eggsy groaned, feeling his blood rush south as he remembered how Harry had pushed him against the wall, how deliciously the man had squeezed Eggsy closer, licking deep into his mouth. He could remember rutting against the man, and the man not only letting him but pressing him closer. The thought of Harry losing control due to Eggsy’s smell was already enough to make him hard, but now this… this idea of feeding he had not considered before was making him go haywire.

He wanted Harry to drink from him, he wanted him to be so high from pleasure that he couldn’t tell when someone walked into the room. He wanted Harry to mate with him. He wanted what Roxy and Merlin had, and he knew, he already knew it was impossible, but dammit  _ he wanted Harry _ . He knew he was setting himself up to be heartbroken, but it was impossible to stop the flood of images currently assaulting his brain. 

He could pretend all he wanted, the reality was that he wanted Harry. The reality was that he loved the daft man, and there was not a single thing he could do about it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't expecting to have this done so soon, but what can I say, I've missed this story


	23. A plan unravelled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "The moon is my sun,   
> The night is my day,   
> Blood is my life,   
> And you are my prey."

_ Harry divested himself of his suit jacket, quickly undoing his tie. He left them both neatly hanging in his closet as he happily ignored the glowering glare his brother was throwing at him. He walked back into the room and undid his cuff links, putting them on his dresser before he unbuttoned his shirt and took it off, throwing it on Merlin’s lap before walking past the man.  _

_ “You’re not going, Harry,” Merlin warned him, yet again, as he watched the man pull out a tight turtleneck from his closet.  _

_ Harry put it on quickly, before grabbing a long coat that hung nearly to his feet. He buttoned it at an inhuman speed, looking up only when he felt Merlin’s hand atop his own.  _

_ “Merlin, you can scream at me until you’re proverbially blue in the face, it won’t change my mind,” Harry informed him pleasantly, patting his hand, before he turned back to his dresser.  _

_ “You have not fed in almost two days, and yes I know your last meal was two days before you made the stupid decision to deprive yourself of food for this coming week,” Merlin said at the surprised look Harry gave him. “You haven’t fed in two days, which means your instincts are going to be jumpier than usual, not to mention if you get hurt, you’ll need blood immediately. You have people that can scout the danger zone for you. You don’t have to do it yourself.”  _

_ “Merlin, we don’t know exactly what the humans are doing. They already killed the six vampires that were protecting the convoys - two of which came from our own clan, mind you. I will not send anymore of my people if I can avoid it. Besides, we both know I will probably be able to uncover their plan the fastest, considering how many insurrections I have seen in my lifetime.”  _

_ “You stubborn bastard,” Merlin growled, worry etched on his face. He rubbed his eyes, knowing he wasn’t going to win the argument. “Fine, but then I’m going with you.”  _

_ “You will do no such thing,” Harry said, annoyed. “You need to stay here and make sure nothing happens while I’m gone. I’ll take Kay and Bedivere, along with Bors and maybe even Lancelot if it makes you feel better. Percival will also be accompanying me, alongside some of his men.”  _

_ “The humans won’t be worth much when it comes to protecting you,” Merlin complained, looking irate again.  _

_ “I will remind you that I can protect myself,” Harry bristled.  _

_ “And I will remind you that you might lose control if you use your powers, considering the fact that you haven’t fed!” Merlin seethed.  _

_ “Bloody hell, I’ll be fine mother,” Harry said with a roll of his eyes, walking back to the dresser to pick up his long pendant. “In fact, I should leave now. The faster we leave, the faster we’ll return, and the least likely we are to find resistance fighters in our way.”  _

_ “If you’re not back in three days time, I will unleash the Farseers,” Merlin warned, his tone void of emotion. _

_ Harry froze, suppressing a shudder. “They haven’t seen the light of day in almost a millennia. I doubt they would come to my rescue, Merlin. They hold no love for me or my family.”  _

_ Merlin shrugged. “They don’t even know you, Harry.  You weren’t around when they were cast away. They hold no love for your mother, since she was the one that imprisoned them. However, they have always loved your grandfather, and they made an unbreakable oath to protect his heir - that is what he told us is it not? They would not desert you, and you know it.”  _

_ “Well, let’s hope it doesn’t come down to that,” Harry said uneasily. “It would be impossible to cast them back into the shadows, if the fact that we know where they are ever comes out.”  _

_ “Then do make sure you come back, brother,” Merlin said in a saccharine tone - a sharp contrast with his cold and angry eyes. _

_ “Aye aye, captain,” Harry joked, closing the distance between them in four long strides. He hugged Merlin close to him, not releasing him until he felt the man relax - albeit minutely. “Don’t worry so much, Merlin, it’s not good for your health.” _

_ And with that, he walked out of the room, leaving Merlin to stew in his absence.  _

* * *

“I can’t believe Merlin let you come,” Percival said quietly, not for the first time, as he looked to his right where Harry stood a few feet in front of him.

He had been surprised when he had seen the man at the head of his scouting party. He had warned his team - comprised solely of his best human agents who had dealt with both rogue vampires and humans before - that they’d be working with the kingsmen, but he hadn’t warned them that the fucking  _ king  _ would be amongst them. 

The man rolled his eyes. “Merlin does not dictate my actions, no matter how much you may believe he does.” 

“He used to,” Percival noted with a weak smile as memories of Merlin’s stern voice and Harry’s soft “I’m sorry, brother” came to mind.

God, they had been but children then. 

Harry couldn’t help but chuckle, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. “Yes, well, I’m not a child anymore, and more importantly, I wasn’t king then,” he said lightly, though his words carried more meaning than what he wanted.

They continued in silence after that, their senses heightened as they approached the tunnel where the convoys had been attacked. Percival made sure to keep some distance between himself and Harry, noticing the strange looks he had already been given since the man had joined them. He had made his best to keep up his disguise of mere human agent in front of his team, but it was getting increasingly harder as he couldn’t very well pretend he didn’t know Harry, not with how receptive the man was to his every tell, and he also couldn’t help but be slightly protective over Harry. He had loved the man too much and for too many years to not care, even now.

Kay came to stand directly in front of Harry as they walked into the tunnel, the kingsmen switching formation to protect Harry from all sides. They all stopped once they reached the wreckage, Harry’s nose wrinkling as the smell of dried up blood - both vampiric and human - assaulted his sense. 

It was getting a little harder to forget his hunger. 

Harry sighed and pressed on, motioning for Kay to rip out the battered convoy door. He did as instructed walking in first to make sure no hostile forces were hiding among the dead - not that he believed there was anyone; he couldn’t hear any heartbeats. 

Harry was hot on his heels, holding back a gasp when his eyes landed on what looked like the remains of one of his younger agents.

“Victor,” Kay whispered before Harry himself could express his horror at seeing the young man’s torso torn open and his face beaten. 

Harry approached the body, careful not to touch him as he examined the gruesome picture. He looked around him from where he was squatting. Two vampire of the six were missing and the other 3 were in similar states of decay.

He held back a growl as the animal within him began to wake up, anger and hunger mixing into one lethal combination. Harry took a deep breath, freezing on the spot as two particular scents caught his attention. 

“Fledglings,” Harry breathed out, standing up and turning to look at Percival, who was surveying the other side of the room. “A fledgling was here.”

Percival’s brows rose as he turned to face Harry. “Human’s can’t make vampires,” he said, his tone tinged with confusion and fear. 

“They’re working with someone, and not just anyone - only an alpha prime or an omega could have done this. They are working with a noble from one of the clans,” Harry seethed, his anger finally getting the best of him as his fangs elongated. 

He heard a few gasps from the human agents as his feature revealed more of his real nature. He turned back around, not even caring the lack of control he was exhibiting. He would find the noble that had betrayed them and  _ he would rip their spine out _ .

He closed his eyes again and concentrated on the smell, walking out of the convoy as he began following the scent, his senses all focused solely on the hunt. 

“What is he doing?” One of the human agents that Percival had brought with him asked the man, as everyone followed Harry outside. 

The kingsmen immediately went back to formation, picking up their pace as Harry broke into a light jog - going faster than any human could hope to go, but significantly slower than he could potentially go. 

“Abberton, get the squad on the motorcycles and follow the king,” Percival instructed the same man quickly, cursing inside. “He’s tracking the fledglings, and he’s not going to wait around for you lot to follow.” Percival threw him a small black device. “That’s tracking my signal. Follow it if you lose us.”

“Lose you?” The man said, bewildered. “How the hell are you going to keep up with them?” 

Percival gave him a weak smile as the reality of what he had to do hit him like a ton of bricks. If rogue vampires were working with humans, then this was a lot more dangerous than he had anticipated and while he was very much aware Harry could handle himself, he hoped they wouldn’t get to the point where he had to handle himself. That left Percival no choice but to follow.

_ It was time to face the music.  _

He took off his contact lenses, and allowed his fangs to come out, feeling a tinge of pain as he hadn’t allowed them out in more than a decade. “I am one of them,” he said finally and, with a bow of his head as a form of goodbye, turned around and ran towards Harry, leaving behind his flabbergasted team.

Harry for his own part did not pay attention to anything other than the scent which was carrying him faster and faster with every passing second. It was faint - faint enough that his kingsmen wouldn’t have been able to track it without him. 

He thanked heavens for small mercies. At least like this he could find them, and possibly find the culprit behind the killings. He wasn’t sure for how long he ran, but he was sure he was well out of london by the time they finally slowed down, a small red house in the middle of a field standing a few yards away. 

Harry touched Kay’s arm as they reached the front door. Harry closed his eyes for a second and nodded. He could feel them, two fledglings were inside the house. He placed one hand on the doorknob and with the other he pushed kay behind him. While he appreciated him defending Harry, this was something he had to do himself. 

He opened the black door and stepped into the eerily quiet house. He tilted his head and looked around what seemed to be the living room, his eyes landing on the closet that stood on the other side of the room. His lip quirked slightly up as he walked towards it, his men hot on his heels. He raised his hand halfway, halting them once they were near enough to the door. He stepped closer and opened the door, ready for the fledgling that immediately jumped out, fangs ready and aiming for the jugular. 

Harry grabbed his assailant by the neck, gracefully twirling them around as he raised him high above his head before bringing the fledgling down with brute force, the man’s head crashing violently against the wooden floor. A woman came out of the kitchen then, looking incensed.

She too made the mistake of attacking the vampire king who stood up immediately, sending out a flying kick that led her to crash against the now closed door of the closet. The man, who was obviously her partner, stood up then, wincing from the pain, and attempted to draw Harry’s attention to himself again by pulling out a gun. 

Harry did not even turn to look at him, however, as he allowed a wave of his power to rise within him, freezing the man in place with a scream of pain.

“Such violence,” Harry chastised. “I’m beginning to wonder where your manners are.” He gave a simple nod to Kay who immediately surged forward, grabbing the man and leading him to the living room, where he sat him down on the sofa. Bors followed suit, this time with the woman. They remained standing behind their two captives, clearly ready to jump in if they so much as moved. 

Harry followed the four of them calmly, sitting on a white sofa opposite to the two fledglings. He turned to look at the door then, giving the incoming group of humans a barely there smile. They did not respond, too focused still on Percival who studiously avoided their gaze as he came to stand behind Harry. 

“Right, well, I think we should get right to the point. Who changed you?” Harry asked bluntly, looking between the two of them. 

The young man laughed, giving Harry an incredulous look. “Even if we knew, Why the fuck would we tell you?” 

Harry tilted his head. “You are part of the human insurrection. In order to turn, you need a vampire’s blood, and even within our race there’s not that many with the power to transform humans. The only two ways you could have acquired said blood is if it was voluntarily given to you or you killed a vampire for it. We have lost no nobles in centuries, which means it was the former. Now if this vampire gave their blood voluntarily to a group that has vowed to destroy the vampire race, then they are obviously working with you, ergo you know who they are,” Harry explained, looking unimpressed. “Now, I don’t want to waste my time, so I will ask just one more time. Who changed you?” 

“Fuck you,” the man said after a few tense seconds, looking angrier than before. “I don’t have to answer your questions.”

“On the contrary, as your king, I have the prerogative to get any and all of my questions answered.”

The man’s brows rose as he scoffed. “You’re not my king, you filthy bloodsucker.” 

Harry tilted his head, humming softly as he smirked. “On the contrary, my dear child, you made me your king the minute you decided to drink a vampire’s blood,” Harry said in a saccharine tone. “You see, the peace that has existed between humans and vampires - a peace which I brokered myself - came to be on two conditions; first, vampires and a humans would always have the permission to kill the other  _ only  _ as an act of self defense, and human governments and the heads of the vampire clan would have sole jurisdiction over their respective races. So say, if you had been a human rebel, I could have killed you only when you attacked me, but I could also have stopped you like I did and then would have had to hand you to the humans to be dealt with appropriately. However, you gave up that right when you became a vampire. What happens to you is solely my decision as your king, and no human has the right to protect you.” Harry smiled then, a toothy predatory smile that chilled his two captives. “So - and I do hate repeating myself - who created you?”

“We will win this war,” the man said finally, giving Harry a defiant look. “And I will enjoy seeing you die.” 

Harry chuckled, his melodious laughter ringing clear in the room. “Ah, truly I had forgotten how delusional humans can be.” He looked back at the two newborn vampires, his eyes sparkling with humor. He stood up then, once again allowing his power to be felt in the room, this time turning it up a notch. 

He could tell the minute everyone felt the shift in the very air surrounding Harry. He could feel the fear pulsating out of Percival’s men, and the shock in the two vampires sitting in front of him as he let them have just a little glimpse of the monster within. 

Harry’s eyes shone bright red as he elevated both vampires high above the ground, making them cry out in pain as their muscles spasmed. “You think because we’ve fostered peace, we are weak? Do you honestly believe a group of pathetic humans could ever be a match against  _ me _ ?” Harry growled, his control slipping little by little. 

Percival surged forward then, feeling the pseudo sinister energy emanating from Harry thicken by the second. He placed his hand carefully on his old friend’s forearm, praying that the man wouldn’t snap and kill him then and there. “Your Majesty, that’s enough,” Percival said softly. “This is not you. Don’t let it control you Harry,” the man said, his voice barely above a whisper. 

Harry immediately snapped his eyes up to meet Percival’s, his anger waning. He reigned himself back in with sheer force of will, his body starting to feel the effects of not feeding for now almost four days. 

“Kay,” Harry called as he pulled out a silver blade from an inside pocket. The man nodded, unfazed by the whole display. He picked up the man who had dropped unceremoniously down to the couch when Harry had broken the connection, and brought him to stand in front of Harry. 

Harry turned to face him, moving his arm in one swift motion as he stabbed the man on his abdomen, the motions graceful and lethal. He pulled out the blade just as the man let out a gasp of pain.

“No need to worry my dear,” Harry said to the woman, who looked like her whole world had just fallen apart. “You are vampires now, and that wound is not nearly enough to kill him, particularly not since you clearly fed recently.” 

Harry waited for the wound to heal to repeat it, this time stabbing the man on his shoulder. He hummed as the man tried to lash out, Kay’s strong hands immobilizing him.

“Bors, do take over this, please. It’s getting tedious,” Harry instructed as he passed the blade on to the other man. He looked back at the woman. “Of course, after about maybe two hundred stabs, he  _ will _ stop healing and die. So I suggest you give us a name before that,” Harry said pleasantly, turning around to exit the house.

“Wait! Please, we don’t know his name,” She pleaded. “We were blindfolded when we were transformed. Only our leader knows who the vampire is. Please… you have to believe me.” 

Harry half turned to face her, his face void of any emotion. “I’m afraid that’s not an acceptable answer. You will give me a name, and you will give me the location of the two vampires you captured - yes I know you took two of them as their bodies are missing. You will also inform me of further plans your group has,” he said simply before turning around again. “You know what to do, Kay,” he commanded before finally stepping out of the home, the man’s screams following him long after he left the clearing. 

Percival sighed and motioned with his hand for his men to follow him. It took them a few minutes to shake off the shock enough to actually will their legs to obey. They trailed outside slowly, coming to stand in formation near where Percival was standing alone - the king nowhere to be found. 

“You all have questions,” Percival said without looking at anyone in particular. “Go ahead, ask now, before we head back to London.”

“Did they send you to spy on MI6?” A young woman said, her voice full of betrayal.

“No, I left my clan - not Harry’s clan, Chester’s one - decades ago, for personal reasons. I have not had contact with the clans until recently, and I am no longer affiliated with them. In fact if my clan were to know I am alive, I would be killed,” he said with a chuckle.

“So… that’s not your king then?” Another man asked. 

“He’s not the head of my clan, no, but he  _ is _ my king. The man you just met isn’t just the head of his clan. He’s the true ruler of the vampires, and everyone recognizes him as the head of the tripartite,” Percival explained kindly. He hadn’t divulged so much information about his race in years. 

“He’s terrifying,” the same young woman that had spoken before dared to say, her voice barely above a whisper. “Is he… Is he going to kill them?” 

“Once they give him what he wants, yes, he will end their lives,” Percival confirmed, voice void of emotion. “He’s usually much more pleasant. He, out of every vampire I have come across, is the one that values humanity the most. You caught him on one of his very bad days, unfortunately. He despises treason, and he hasn’t fed in a while now, and… his abilities are particularly brutal, so… well, one can say he’s running a little on the feral side at the moment,” Percival explained, with a half shrug. “But there’s no need to worry. He just needs to breathe a little. He wouldn’t harm your race, so there’s no need to worry.”

“That display though… you have to admit it was a bit much,” a third voice piped up. 

Percival smiled at the black haired man who had just spoken. “On the contrary, he barely even showed them anything at all - that is if the rumours are to be believed.” Percival chuckled again. “We should head back. His guard can escort him back to the palace. Oh, and my status as a vampire does not leave this field, do I make myself clear?”

They all nodded, whether out of loyalty or fear, Percival couldn’t tell, but, at the moment, he didn’t particularly care. He had more pressing matters to attend to - like getting Harry his damn convoys so he could finally feed. A hungry Harry Hart was a dangerous one, and no one needed that. 

* * *

Harry groaned as he reached his rooms, feeling weary. They had not gotten many answers out of the two fledglings, but Kay had made sure to dispatch of both of them at least, so that was one less headache to deal with. 

However, he couldn’t simply ignore the fact that had it not been for Percival, he might actually have snapped. He hated it when Merlin was right, the bloody bastard. At least, he would be able to feed soon, or so he hoped. 

The problem was that using his powers had grated on his already frayed senses, which made his need that much more urgent. 

His wallowing was cut short by a knock at the door, however, which left Harry reeling. There was only one person that dared come to his personal rooms and that was Merlin. He wasn’t sure he wanted to deal with the man at the moment. 

Still, after taking his coat off and unbuttoning the first few buttons of his shirt, he finally walked to the door, hoping that his state of partial undress would tell Merlin to fuck right off. 

Much to his surprise, it was Eggsy’s lovely face, and not Merlin, which greeted him at the other end of the door. He froze for a second in surprise before finally letting out a soft “Good evening, Eggsy.” 

Eggsy gaped slightly, his eyes trailing down Harry’s semi visible chest. He was pretty sure this was the most undressed he had ever seen the man, and oh god, he was beautiful.

Eggsy’s initial anger - and need to scold - suddenly faded into the background as he struggled to keep his composure.

“Uh… sorry… I… I heard you were back and I… sorry for disturbing. I can come back tomorrow,” Eggsy said before swallowing hard, not sure whether to run or fall on his knees and beg Harry to let Eggsy suck him off. 

“Nonsense, do come in,” Harry said with a small smile as he opened his door a little wider. He pointed towards his bed. “Please have a seat.” 

Eggsy held his breath as he sat down on the side, the thought finally dawning on him that maybe this was a fucking terrible idea. 

“So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this late night visit?” Harry said pleasantly, holding himself with particular grace as he knew he looked like a disheveled mess at the moment.

“I was lookin’ for yeh a few days ago and Merlin told me yeh went bloody mental and decided to go with the scouting party,” Eggsy said, his voice hardening as the anger slowly but surely returned.

Harry winced slightly as he realized Eggsy was here to give him a verbal slashing. “In my defense, I did it because I have dealt with insurrections before and it was easier if I checked the wreckage.” 

“Did you find something?” 

Harry nodded, his face turning grim. “They are working with a noble. We don’t know which or to what clan he belongs to, but we found two fledglings. We don’t know how many they have transformed.”

Eggsy’s eyes widened. “Fucking hell, we gotta stop them. If they’re turning them… What if they are the ones killing humans to get people angry?” 

“That’s exactly what I though,” Harry agreed with a sigh. “But regardless, now that they are vampires, they are entirely under our jurisdiction, so their cock up is still unfortunately our problem.

Eggsy groaned in annoyed and shook his head, before looking back up again. “Have you still not fed?” 

Harry bit his lip, not meeting Eggsy’s eyes. “The convoys aren't here yet.”

Eggsy sighed and rubbed his eyes, trying to keep his temper in. “Harry, you haven't fed in what, four days? Five days? Wasn't yeh supposed to stop doing shit like that? Merlin himself said yeh need more blood than the rest of us and Kay told me you used your power while yeh was away. Yeh can't-”

Harry stepped forward then, coming to stand right in between Eggsy’s spread legs. He put his hand on the nape of Eggsy’s neck and, without thinking about it, pressed the young man’s head against his abdomen in a semin hug. Eggsy froze for a second, surprised of the sudden change, before bringing his arms up to hug Harry closer. If the man was initiating a hug, he’d be damned to not take as much as possible from it.

Harry couldn't help but smile as he felt Eggsy’s arms come up to wrap around his lower back. He might not own the younger man’s heart, but he clearly was most tactile with Harry because  _ he trusted him _ . Harry caressed Eggsy’s hair, wiling away the building arousal he was feeling. Now was really not the time to revisit his very much unwanted feelings. 

He had come to hug Eggsy to  _ comfort  _ him, nothing more.

“I’m alright, Eggsy. Hungry, it's true, but I’ll survive,” Harry said with a low chuckle.

Eggsy looked up from where he was sitting, resting his chin against Harry’s abdomen. He wasn't sure if it was because Harry was so close, lowering his inhibitions, or if it was the way the man looked; with his shirt half opened, his hair slightly tucked out of place and his hungry red eyes looking down at Eggsy. 

Whatever it was, Eggsy couldn't help himself when he let out a shuddering breath and blurted out “Feed from me, Harry.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scene in italics happened before the scene shown in the last chapter fyi. 
> 
> You've seen flashes before, but I wanted to start showing the darker side of Harry that, no matter how prim and genteel he seems, he can't quite shake off. While he does always try to be kind, and is always compassionate - particularly with humans - he is terribly powerful, and has a dark side a mile wide, which is why he always tries to keep himself in control. 
> 
> You can find the coat Harry was wearing [here](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/241998179948749647/)


	24. Lust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You just made the worst mistake  
> And you'll regret it, darling  
> 'Cause once you give and then you take  
> You'll only end up wanting
> 
> \- Again, Noah Cyrus

Harry froze, his eyes widening slightly as he looked into Eggsy’s earnest eyes. “I beg your pardon?” 

Eggsy bit his lip, heart in his mouth. He had already blurted it out. There was no going back now. “Feed from me,” he repeated, this time sounding a little embarrassed.

Harry’s eyes immediately traveled down to Eggsy’s jugular - that beautiful neck which he had had the pleasure to bite twice before. He could feel his mouth water, and he was sure his eyes were darkening even more with hunger. He swallowed hard, before looking back into Eggsy’s liquid red eyes. “I can’t feed from you. You’re a vampire now.”

“That’s bullshit and we both know it,” Eggsy said as he moved his head away from where he was resting on Harry’s abdomen, putting some distance between them. “Yeah, my blood won’t be as effective as a human’s, but yeh can’t afford to be picky right now.” 

Harry took a few steps back, trying to clear his head. “Eggsy… drinking from a vampire is… a terribly intimate thing. It’s not… we usually form bonds when drinking from other vampires. I can’t ask that of you. I could subjugate you to me in ways you don’t even understand,” Harry said, shaking his head as he fought back the heady arousal that flooded him at the thought of marking Eggsy. This was not a conversation he should be having with the object of his affections when he felt this out of control. “Be sensible, please.” 

“Sensible? Fuck yeh, Harry. Yeh’s the one that’s not being sensible,” Eggsy half growled, suddenly on the defensive. “Yeh haven’t fed in days, and I can see it from here just how hungry yeh are. Kay told me he’s afraid the humans will attack any day now, so he’s having all the kingsmen do double rounds. We’ve almost run out of bagged blood, so yeh can’t even take that in case yeh need it if they attack, and yeh decided to be an idiot and go with the scouting party and then used your powers. Yeh don’t have a mate to drink from, unlike the other two kings.” Eggsy put his hands on his hips. “And I don’t hear ya comin’ up with some other brilliant idea either.” 

Eggsy stood up then, his resolve and his unexplainable need for the infuriating man standing in front of him growing by the second. It felt like his body knew Harry needed him, and he was more than happy to oblige. He ripped his pajama shirt off, throwing it somewhere on the floor near Harry’s bed, much to the other man’s surprise. He stepped closer then, feeling no small amount of pleasure at the way Harry’s eyes became glued to his body with a lusting hunger that made Eggsy’s knees weaken. Harry’s look emboldened him and he took two more steps, effectively crowding Harry’s personal space. He pulled the man by his hand and led him back to the bed, where he sat Harry down, remembering how the man had fed from him for the first time while sitting down. “Yeh made me swear I would protect ya, that I would serve yeh.” Eggsy kneeled, Harry’s open legs pressing against his sides. “So then please… let me help yeh. See, I took my shirt off and everything, so that yeh don’t even have to worry about cleaning up.” 

Harry let out a startled laugh, his enamour for the boy increasing tenfold at the innocent yet touching gesture. He sucked in a harsh breath as he brought his hands down and caressed Eggsy’s cheeks with his thumbs, shaking his head ever so softly. He inched closer unconsciously, tilting the young man’s face up as their lips rested just mere inches apart. Eggsy spread his hands wide on Harry’s knees to keep his balance, trying - and failing - to ignore the spike of arousal he was feeling. 

“Eggsy… I won’t be able to control myself. I… I could hurt you. I could…” Harry swallowed hard, before finally whispering “I could decide to throw you on the bed and take you, and there would not be a thing in the world you, or even I, can do to stop me - not once I drink from you.” 

“Doesn’t sound like the worst thing in the world,” Eggsy admitted as he suppressed a moan at the thought of Harry manhandling him. He stood up and came to straddle the man. “Just feed, Harry, I don’t mind. Please...” 

The man grunted, half in defeat, half in arousal, before burying his head on Eggsy’s neck, drinking in his scent. Harry brought his own hands to the shirt he had put on after coming back, swiftly taking it off. He looked up at Eggsy as the younger man came to place his hands on Harry’s chest, tracing the well formed lines of his pectorals. He quirked his lips into a smile, half puffing his chest out at the attention. 

Harry threw the shirt without much thought before bringing his right hand to Eggsy’s nape, tilting his head slightly to the side as he went back to inhaling the boy’s intoxicating scent. 

It was strange, how susceptible Harry continued to be to Eggsy’s scent. When the boy had been human, Harry had been sure he would lose his mind out of the need to  _ drink,  _ and yet here they were months later, with the boy a vampire in his own right, and Harry still couldn’t shake his need. He still wanted to feed from Eggsy, wanted to take and take and  _ take.  _

It was frustrating and confusing and Harry hated how weak he was when it came to Eggsy. All his hard earned self control flew out the window the minute the young man so much as smiled in his direction. But with a handful of Eggsy on his damn lap, pressing dangerously close to his groin, all he could do was try to remember that Eggsy was offering to alleviate his hunger out of the goodness of his heart and he couldn’t very well tarnish that.

He was snapped out of his reverie by a breathy moan which escaped Eggsy’s lips, the sound going straight to Harry’s groin. He snapped his head up, the image of Eggsy’s closed eyes and parted mouth searing into his brain. He looked back down at the young man’s neck and finally realized why he had moaned; Harry had been sucking at it without biting, leaving behind an impressive hickey that would probably disappear in a few minutes due to their own healing factors.. 

“S-stop teasing me, you arse,” Eggsy said finally, resting his hands on Harry’s shoulders as he tried to collect his thoughts. 

Harry couldn’t respond, choosing instead to lick at the bruise, his fangs coming out to have a taste. Before Harry could bite him though, Eggsy moved his head and with a hand pressed against Harry’s cheek, brought him in for a kiss. He hadn’t planned on kissing Harry - he had promised himself he would control himself - but if the man was going to rile him up by sucking at his neck without actually drawing blood, then he figured the least he deserved was to steal a kiss. 

Harry’s response was immediate as all thoughts of control vanished when he felt a pair of plump lips press against his own. He might have had impressive self-control once, but Eggsy pushed him beyond his limits and Eggsy kissing him was more than Harry’s self control could handle. 

He kissed Eggsy deeply, running his tongue through Eggsy’s teeth before tilting the boy’s head back to truly dive in deep. Eggsy moaned against him, grinding against Harry’s growing hardness to try to alleviate his own. Harry gasped, his hands flying to Eggsy’s behind, planning to still the movement, only to find himself encouraging Eggsy to grind harder. 

“Harry,” Eggsy moaned, letting out a startled gasp as Harry suddenly grabbed him by the back of his legs and stood up. He threw Eggsy on the bed, his eyes almost black at this point. Eggsy landed unceremoniously on the middle of the bed, his mouth watering when Harry came to kneel on the bed, looming over Eggsy. The young man could feel his canines lengthening as raw desire for the older vampire waned his inhibitions. 

“Look at you, you exquisite thing,” Harry said in a low voice, coming to rest on his elbows as he leaned down to kiss his way down Eggsy’s chest, leaving love bites all over. 

Eggsy jerked at Harry’s touch, the kisses searing into Eggsy’s brain. He kept trying to tell Harry to stop teasing him, but all he could do was moan as Harry surged back up to kiss him, the man’s hand now firmly pressing hard against Eggsy’s crotch. 

“Off, I need them off,” Eggsy whined as he tugged at his trousers. He had never seen Harry this hungry for it, and it was driving Eggsy mad with want. He needed Harry to touch him, and he needed the man to touch him  _ now _ . 

Harry complied with a chuckle, quickly divesting Eggsy of the rest of his clothes, only to leave him naked underneath his gaze. He gazed his fill, before finally leaning back down. With one hand he tilted Eggsy’s head to the side, and with the other he pumped the younger man’s cock, before finally sinking in his fangs into Eggsy’s jugular. 

The young man howled in pleasure, his back arching high above the bed. It was too much, a sensory overload that made him want to crawl out of his skin and into Harry’s. The pleasure of the bite was overwhelming, and Harry’s hot hand on his member riding him to completion left Eggsy wrung too tight. He wasn’t sure if he could even come like this, he felt too out of himself, too overwhelmed with the need for more. 

He dug his nails deep into Harry’s back as he trashed against the man, not knowing what the hell to do with himself. All he knew was that he needed more. He needed Harry inside him, but he couldn’t find his voice. Hell he didn’t know which way was up and which was down.

Dimly he remembered how Rebecca said vampires lost awareness when they fed from other vampires and, if Harry was experiencing even a tenth of what he was feeling then yeah he could understand why they couldn’t fucking tell when someone walked in on them. 

After what felt like hours but probably was no more than a few minutes, when his body finally began to adjust to the onslaught of pleasure, he realized that perhaps he should be returning the favor. He brought his hand down to palm Harry through his trousers because of course the git had not taken them off. 

Harry stopped drinking then, pulling away with a pleasured groan. He rested his head against Eggsy’s shoulder for a second, before looking back up at the younger man, gaze unfocused. Harry’s lips were dripping with blood, and his eyes, those usually blood red eyes, were shining like fire. He kissed Eggsy then, allowing the boy to quite literally taste himself as he squeezed Eggsy’s cock, not letting Eggsy come just yet, which elicited a pained whine from the younger man. He pulled away after a few seconds, turning back to the wound to lick at the remainders of blood there. 

Eggsy shivered in the man’s arms, trying and failing to collect himself. He flipped them over, his body swaying as his balance was severely thwarted at the moment. He smiled down at Harry, who still looked too dazed to care much in what position they were in. Eggsy undid Harry’s trousers and raised himself up to get them off of Harry. His silk - fucking  _ silk _ \- pants came off next, which finally left Harry gloriously naked. 

He took a moment to catch his breath as he took in Harry’s form. He wasn’t sure if it was an alpha thing or a vampire thing, but Harry was abnormally well endowed. He felt panic rise within him, because while he had been with men before, and fuck did he want to be with Harry, he was pretty sure just simply anatomically speaking there was  _ no fucking way  _ Harry would fit.

Harry sat up, clearly tired of waiting, and grabbed him by the neck, pressing Eggsy flush against him as he claimed Eggsy’s mouth in a bruising kiss, the boy’s panic rescinding. He thrusted his hips upwards, rubbing deliciously against Eggsy’s own prick. Eggsy gasped, throwing his head back as he grinded against the man. He was too wrung up. He wouldn’t last like this. 

Harry growled deep within his chest, once again sinking his teeth into Eggsy’s neck as he wrapped a hand around both of them, his motions strong, sure, and precise. Eggsy dug his nails into Harry’s back again, pretty sure that he was drawing blood, but not aware enough to care. He put some weight on the balls of his feet and pressed his knees hard into the bed, using the newfound position to ondulate his hips, his movements frantic as he lost himself in his chase to get off. 

With a final flick of Harry’s wrist, Eggsy reached his peak, howling Harry’s name as he came, convulsing in the man’s arms as everything once again became exquisitely too much. Harry followed him with his own orgasm seconds later, finally releasing Eggsy’s neck as he groaned - a feral sound that made Eggsy’s hair stand on edge. Eggsy sagged against Harry, feeling more than a little dizzy. He just needed to close his eyes for a minute… or two.  

Harry pressed him close, seemingly not caring that Eggsy was smearing cum all over his chest. He flipped them over gently, laying Eggsy carefully down on the bed as the boy’s eyes shuttered closed, too drained to stay awake.

Clearly, Harry had drunk a little too much.

Harry shook his head, finally feeling in control again now that he had fed. He berated himself as he softly caressed Eggsy’s sleeping face, feeling the shame and the guilt start to prickle at his heart. 

He shouldn’t have done that. He shouldn’t have given in. At least he could say he hadn’t exactly taken advantage of Eggsy since they had started their… activities long before he bit Eggsy, but it was still inexcusable. It was clear now that Eggsy was, at least on a physical level, very much attracted to him. And while that felt ridiculously good to know, it didn’t change the fact that Eggsy hadn’t chosen him as his mate. He had given Harry no signals to make him believe he was the young man’s mate. Eggsy had a whole life ahead of him to find whoever was destined to be with him, and Harry had just hindered that by biting Eggsy. 

Even now he could feel the tinglings of a half formed, yet not so tenuous, bond forming. What if he couldn’t find his mate because Harry had not had enough sense of mind to not drink - fucking  _ twice in a row _ \- from Eggsy? 

Or worse, what if this meant Eggsy had to bond with Harry? In the unlikely event that Harry was lucky enough to be Eggsy’s one, that still didn’t mean anything good for the young man. Being Harry’s mate would be the biggest curse that could befall the poor fledgling.  For a fledgling to be the king’s consort would mean that all eyes - mostly judgemental eyes - would be on Eggsy. He would have to join the royal house and perform many duties - many of which Harry knew Eggsy would hate. Not only that but the threats to his life, the political game between humans and vampires that Eggsy would no doubt be thrust into - with the expectation to think only of the vampires - would break the young man’s heart. And, to top that off, if he became Harry’s mate he would have to take on the mantle of Harry’s anchor - something Harry wanted to avoid at all costs. 

He didn’t need Eggsy to see that side of himself. Not now not  _ ever _ . 

He got quickly out of bed then, his eyes dark and stormy. He walked into his bathroom, quickly cleaning himself up before throwing on a tunic, unable to hold back a wince when his eyes landed on Eggsy’s exhausted form. He approached him again, drawing up the covers as softly as he could. He bent down and kissed the young man’s forehead, whether as an apology or simply an act of love he wasn’t sure. He knew it wasn’t wise to leave Eggsy alone, but he couldn’t stay here, not without driving himself mad. He needed a distraction - and quickly. He had no idea what he was going to tell Eggsy or how he could possibly apologize for such a gigantic misstep on Harry’s part.

He all but ran out of his room, surprising himself when he realized he had walked all the way to the kingsmen quarters. An idea suddenly came to mind, and he hurried down to Kay’s office, knocking softly once he reached the door. 

“Come in,” came a voice from inside, sounding tired. 

Harry hid a smile as he watched Kay go from looking annoyed to standing upright with shock in his eyes. Clearly he hadn’t been expecting his king.

He gave Harry a small bow and said “Master, how can I help you?” 

“I was wondering if you could send one of the knights to Valentine’s castle. I need to speak with Gazelle. It’s a somewhat urgent personal matter.” 

Kay nodded immediately. “I will have Percival go himself to escort her here as soon as possible.”

Harry did smile then. “Thank you my dear, Kay. When they get here, tell them to find me in my study.”

“Of course, your Majesty.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt bad for making you wait so I finished this early. However, the next one might take me a lil while since i have other fics I need to update + I wanna start my post the golden circle pseudo fix it fic which I am currently outlining ;)


	25. Deep-Rooted Fear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “You get hit the hardest when trying to run or hide from a problem. Like the defense on a football field, putting all focus on evading only one defender is asking to be blindsided.”   
> ― Criss Jami

Eggsy woke up with a start, feeling too warm and comfy to actually open his eyes and start the day. If he was honest with himself, he still felt groggy from last night, and his body, as strong as it was due to his new nature, did not feel like it had fully recovered yet. He felt heavy and tired and more thirsty than he had in a while now, which was strange since he had drank blood before coming to see Harry yesterday. Perhaps it was because the man had drunk more than he was supposed to, considering the git hadn’t fed in a while, or perhaps it was just that Eggsy still needed more blood than usual - what with being a new vampire and all. 

Either way, he didn’t much care. He wasn’t about to complain. He wouldn’t change the events of last night, not even if it meant feeling less starved this morning. He was sure the convoys would arrive soon and he’d be able to feed again, so it wasn’t that big of a deal. 

He smiled to himself as memories of the night before flooded his senses. It had been… wild. A part of him hadn’t truly believed Becca when she had told him how different it was to drink from a human than from a vampire. He hadn’t thought it would be possible to feel even more out of control than he had when Harry had first bit him. He had never experienced anything like that, and the utter need he had felt for the man that day… well it was just a little hard to believe it would be all that different. But the damn girl had been right; it was  _ very _ different. Eggsy hadn’t just felt out of control last night, he had felt a small part of Harry permeating his very senses _. _

He wasn’t even sure how to describe it. At first, he hadn’t even noticed, what with the overwhelming pleasure numbing his mind, but he had noticed the second time Harry had sunk his teeth into his neck. It had been a small change, almost as if a taste of what was to come, but it had been enough to drive Eggsy wild. While the world had completely faded away, he had felt an awareness of Harry; of his body, his movements, his power, his very emotions, that he had never thought possible. It had been too faint  a connection to actually be able to tell  _ what  _ the man was feeling, but Eggsy knew that whatever it was, it had been as overwhelming as his own emotions. Similarly he hadn’t been able to tell how powerful Harry was - something Eggsy was growing more and more curious about with every passing day - but he had been able to tell that Harry was suppressing something, was hiding something - whether from Eggsy or from himself he wasn’t sure. 

All in all, it had been electrifying and, despite his grogginess, despite his tiredness, he was sure he needed  _ more _ . 

With that happy thought in mind he turned to face the other side of the bed, throwing an arm out, hoping not to startle Harry too much. He froze, however, when his hand landed on the cold bed and not on Harry’s warm body. Eggsy’s eyes flew open then as he quickly sat up, grimacing as the dizziness hit him harder than before. 

He looked around himself, his eyes resting for a few seconds on the right side of the bed - the clearly  _ untouched  _ side of the bed. He touched the bed again with hesitant fingers, concentrating on the temperature. It was too cold to assume the man had gotten up recently after a good night’s sleep. Harry had not laid down after their night together. 

Eggsy swallowed hard as he tried to remember if he had seen Harry lay down with him, a part of him hoping against hope that his senses were wrong in telling him Harry had left him alone in bed. 

He could remember the man softly cleaning him up. He could even remember the man covering him with the comforter and he was pretty sure he remembered the man’s lips on his temple. He did not however, remember Harry’s comforting weight next to him. He had fallen asleep too quickly - and the man had left him  _ alone.  _

Eggsy tensed, feeling like they had just thrown a cold bucket of water on him. Harry had left him alone, which meant the man had either not wanted this to begin with or had regretted enough to not even want to be in the same fucking room as Eggsy - and wasn't that fucking  _ peachy _ .

The fledgling got up then, as if the very covers had burnt him. He knelt on the ground, both too physically weak and too emotionally distraught to get far. He felt… dirty and, quite honestly, used. And yet he also felt like  _ he  _ had been the one that used Harry.

Yes, Harry had used him to feed and then had just left like Eggsy wasn't worth his time, like he hadn't even considered the fact that the boy might feel something for him, but then again the one that had pushed had been  _ Eggsy.  _ Eggsy, who was too weak to resist how much he wanted the man. 

Harry had said no from the get go. He had warned Eggsy of the dangers, but Eggsy had bulldozed all over the king’s pleas and had just planted himself on the man’s lap. And he wasn't an idiot - he knew Harry had a weakness for his blood. He had known the man would cave, just like he had when he had been human. 

The man might feel nothing for him, but he melted when it came to Eggsy’s blood, and so Eggsy didn't know who was more to blame in this fucked up situation. Him, for having pushed Harry into giving into Eggsy’s desires or Harry for not even having the emotional tact to let Eggsy down gently. All he knew is that he had no idea how he was going to face Harry ever again without crumpling to the ground and just sobbing. 

And that was the worst part: It wasn't like Eggsy could treat this as a mistake or as a simple one night stand that neither was willing to acknowledge, because  _ he would have to see the King every fucking day of his miserable life for the rest of his existence.  _

Eggsy groaned, forcing himself to stand on shaky legs. Dammit, he really needed to feed soon. And he’d have to find away to stay away from Harry, because this was fucking unacceptable. He would have to ask to be reassigned, perhaps to Valentine, who was the one most likely to accept him if he mentioned how this would be the more sensible choice for all parties involved. Either that or he’d have to do the same thing Percival had done and high tail out of there.

Problem was that wasn't really an option for him, not really, because at the end of the day his family lived in Harry’s castle so if the man wanted him here, there was nothing he could do.

Why would Harry want to keep him though? After everything that had happened, Harry probably wanted to get rid of him as much as Eggsy wanted to get rid of himself. 

He groaned again in defeat, picking up his pajamas from the floor with shaky hands. He dressed himself slowly, still feeling too tired to do much, but knowing he couldn’t stay here. He had no idea when Harry would return or even if he would, but he couldn’t sit there and wait. He couldn’t face the man right now, and clearly Harry wasn’t ready to face him either. So he would retreat to lick his wounds in private and then he would come back when Harry summoned him and he would face the consequences of loving a man he could never have. 

It was just a matter of waiting now - elsewhere preferably. 

With a final painful look around, Eggsy left the king’s bedroom, remembering the lovely little alcove Becca had shown him a few days ago on the other side of the castle, which had a lovely view of the forest. It was one of the weakest areas of the castle, considering few people knew about it and thus no guards were posted there to defend that entry, which was exactly what Eggsy needed. He needed to be left alone, at least for a little while. 

* * *

Harry looked up from his book when a lithe, big saber-tooth tiger stalked into the room, its teeth longer and sharper than those of a normal saber-tooth. Harry smiled softly, appreciating, as always, Gazelle’s theatrics. 

“Good morning my dear,” Harry groused as he set the book aside, leaning back on his chair. “I haven’t seen you assume this form in a very long time. What brings the change?” 

The gigantic animal growled softly before a cloud of smoke covered it, leaving in its stead a beautiful dark skinned woman dressed all in black, who came to sit in front of Harry’s desk. “Well you asked me to come see you without much prior warning, and I didn’t want to worry Valentine so I figured it was best if I came unnoticed - for safety reasons. Very few people know my… animal form,” she said with a smirk.

Harry nodded, giving her an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry I didn’t think of the inconvenience I was placing upon you when I asked you to come see me.” 

“You never ask me to come unless you are having a serious issue,” she said as a way to dismiss his apology. “So, what happened?” 

Harry sighed. “I’m not quite sure where to start,” he admitted, a hint of despair in his eyes.

“Why don’t you start at the beginning,” she said drily, a hint of humor in her eyes. “Let’s start with what this might be about.”

“A personal matter, regarding… the fledgling I created,” Harry said after a few tense seconds. 

“The one you’re in love with?” She asked, not bothering to beat the issue around the bush. 

Harry’s brows immediately shot up at that. “How the hell-”

“Harry, you do realize I don’t need to be here to know what’s happening in your life, right?” She said with a chuckle. “My husband is here often enough that I hear about your life whether I want to or not.” 

Harry frowned again. “How did he realize?” 

It was her turn to look incredulous. “Did you seriously think you’d be able to hide your feelings from the man that can  _ control actions and emotions?”  _ She chuckled. “Now I know you’re in love, but surely you can still use that lovely head of yours and think.” 

“It was to my understanding that Valentine  _ did not  _ use his powers when in my presence,” Harry replied in a clipped tone. 

The woman shrugged. “There’s only so much he can control. He doesn’t manipulate your emotions, but it would be impossible for him to not at least be somewhat aware of what you’re feeling, just like Roxanne is always entune with the air around her, and you with the blood flowing through everyone’s veins. Admit it: it’s always there in the back of your head.” 

Harry shuddered slightly, the woman’s words hitting home, because yeah he could understand what it was to not be able to shut it off. He had tried - and failed - enough times to know that was a lost cause. 

“Now that we’ve settled that, let’s move on,” she said cheerfully. “What happened with the boy? You wouldn’t have called me if you didn’t fuck up in some way.” 

Harry smiled again at her bluntness. Her brashness and snappiness had been a hard pill to swallow at first, when she had first mated with Valentine, given that Gazelle - stupidly brave as she was - had never actually feared Harry. She hadn’t been afraid to scream at Harry and go toe to toe with him if she didn’t agree with him and she was the only one, aside from his own brother, that dared be that brash. Even Chester had a bit more sense that start to truly yell obscenities at Harry. Perhaps it was because she hadn’t grown up in the clans and thus had not grown up hearing his family’s life story, but she had been less than impressed when she had met the seemingly gentle man whom many called, at the time, their soon-to-be king. 

It also probably had quite a bit to do with the fact that his mother had loved Gazelle, and had entrusted her with making sure Valentine never went off the rails again - nevermind it had been a then young  _ Harry  _ that had brought Valentine back (albeit by force). Still, once he had gotten used to her constant pushy presence, he had finally been able to see why his mother had liked her so much. She was strong and fiercely independent, but she was wise beyond her years - considering she was younger than Harry - and she had a knack for making Harry see the world in a different way, which he always appreciated immensely. 

“You’re getting lost in thought again, my friend,” she said more gently than usual, more than used to losing Harry to his own musings every once in awhile when they talked. 

“Apologies,” he said immediately, sitting up straighter. “Well, I… as you know the convoys were attacked and my clan has gone without blood for almost a week now.” 

She nodded, her eyes turning serious. “We were going to try sending you some of our reserves, but Valentine first wants to catch the culprit. He said you mentioned in your conversation last night that they have begun using fledglings.” 

Harry nodded, his eyes turning dark. “Don’t mention it to anyone, my dear. Valentine is the only one that knows outside of my close circle. I haven’t even told Chester yet.” 

The woman frowned, suddenly alert. “Why?” 

Harry sighed. “Because it is a noble that is helping them, and the most power-hungry vampire nobles we have are all in Chester’s clan.”

Gazelle’s eyes became steely. “Do you think they’ll run if rumors start spreading?” 

Harry hummed. “Either they’ll run or, worse, accelerate their plans. Either way it is not in our favor for them to hear we are onto them. Also, I’d much rather just not tell Chester yet, not until I have an actual name. He and I might fundamentally disagree on some things, but his idea of loyalty to the clans and his own personal loyalty to my grandfather have been the cornerstones of his rule. If I tell him that someone has betrayed the clans and that, on top of that, they’re targeting my clan, it will turn him murderous, and I don’t fancy seeing half his nobility be wiped out, no matter how I might feel about them.”

Gazelle chuckled in agreement, before finally sobering and saying “don’t be too sure they’re in Chester’s clan, Harry. I know that does seem like the most likely place, but you never know when those you think are friends might betray you.” 

Harry sighed and nodded, all too aware of the truth in her words. “I know. Merlin is already starting to look at my clan’s activity for the past year to see if we can find any irregular signs.”

“Let’s hope they don’t come from yours,” Gazelle said with a sigh. “I’d much rather fight Chester’s clan than your own. They’re easier to kill.” 

Harry laughed, shaking his head softly. “Contrary to popular believe, many of his nobles are extremely powerful beings, you know.” 

Gazelle rolled her eyes. “Yes, they are, but when your grandfather divided the vampires into clans, the bastard made sure to put  _ all _ the strongest in his own, and you know just as well as I do that power calls power.” She leaned forward, raising a challenging brow. “You can’t tell me the children of your clan are not exponentially stronger than the rest. Just look at the damn Kingsman results every time.” 

Harry smiled proudly then, his smile enough of a signal to show her he was conceding the point. It wasn’t something they generally compared, and it was certainly not something he would ever dream of talking with Valentine or Chester, but Gazelle was a different matter. She might be the Queen of the potior clan but, because of her upbringing, she didn’t give much of a toss about clan politics. To her, what mattered was her relationship with her own husband, and the prosperity of her race - hence why she had befriended Harry in the first place all those years ago. 

“But none of this tells me why you called me here today,” she said after a few seconds, leaning back once again. “What does the blood shortage have to do with your fledgling?”

“I don’t just have feelings for him. I… have had an unnatural need to feed from him since I first met him,” Harry started, his voice low. “I have never… been that attuned to somebody’s blood. And when I drank from him…” Harry shuddered. “I thought it would go away once he became one of us, but my need for him has only grown exponentially since then,” Harry whined, a tinge of shame in his voice. “And I… well he offered last night and I foolishly gave in.” Harry shook his head, rubbing his eyes tiredly. “I drank from him twice last night.” 

“Did you sleep with him?” She asked quietly, her tone void of emotions. 

Harry nodded, albeit hesitantly. “There was no penetration,” he clarified, grimacing at his own words. 

She nodded, placing the tips of her fingers under her chin. “I don't see what your source of concern is,” she admitted.

Harry gave her an unimpressive look. “What part of “I bit and slept with the very fledgling I created mere months ago, whose mate we don't actually know who it is,” doesn't sound concerning to you?” 

“Because it's not like you have formed a-” she suddenly clamped her mouth shut, her eyes narrowing. “Did you form a bond?”

“...not really,” Harry said, evasively.

Gazelle rolled her eyes. “What the fuck kind of answer is that? Either you did or you didn't.”

“He wasn't in heat so it's no more than a partial bond, and it's faint, but this could still be a problem if he ever chooses a mate,” Harry said, his self reproach clear in his voice.

Gazelle’s eyes narrowed even more. “Has he presented yet?”

Harry nodded somberly. “He presented weeks after his transformation. I have never seen anything like it before.”

“Has it ever occurred to you that he's  _ your  _  mate?” Gazelle asked, sounding slightly annoyed. 

Harry scoffed. “I don't think we can know that for sure. Not because I’m attracted to him means I can suddenly assume he feels the same or-”

“How many times have you drank his blood since you met him?” Gazelle suddenly asked, “and did you ever force him?”

Harry froze, looking offended. “I would never force him to-”

“How many times then, Harry?” She asked impatiently.

“Two times as a human and… well, last night,” he half whispered, looking slightly embarrassed.

“And have you ever asked or has it always been him that offers?” She asked, a little more gently this time. 

“He's always offered, but it's always been under strenuous circumstances where I have been in dire need of sustenance which, I’m sorry, doesn't exactly scream mate to me,” Harry bit out. 

“And during his heat? Were you there for it? Did he seek you out?” She needled, not willing to back down. 

“No, I did not spend his heat with him. I wouldn’t take him without his consent,” Harry said, his own hackles raised. 

“That’s not what I asked you though,” She noted calmly.  “Was he in the same room as you at any point and did he seek you out?” 

Harry’s mouth went dry. “Well… Yes, he did, but that’s because I was the only unmated alpha in the room. That’s how instinct works Gazelle.”

“Merlin was there with you I assume, and considering the fact you didn’t mention him I’m assuming he didn’t jump Merlin,” she said with a knowing smile. Harry didn’t correct her, which was all she needed to know. “Harry, It doesn’t matter to an omega if an alpha is mated or not, particularly not on their first fucking heat. He didn’t go for Merlin, he went for  _ you. _ ” 

Harry sighed. “Gazelle-”

Gazelle looked ready to tear him a new one. “With all due respect your majesty, you’re a fucking idiot. It's as clear as day that this boy is meant to be your mate.”

“We can’t assume-”

“You, the fricking _Lord of Blood_ , were unnaturally attracted to a single human’s blood, which has _never_ happened in the almost nine hundred years that you’ve been alive. You are now unnaturally attracted to his vampiric blood, which also isn’t natural considering we don’t feed on vampires _._ No only that, but your fledgling presented - _conveniently_ \- into a fucking omega months after his transformation when most vampires take hundreds of years before presenting and now you tell me that he has actively sought to give you blood multiple times, _and_ during his heat” Gazelle seethed, looking more and more annoyed with every second that passed. “You are one of the smartest people I know, Harry, so the fact that you’re acting this uncharacteristically dense is actually worrying.” 

She stood up then and made her way around the table, putting both her hands on Harry’s armrests. She looked deeply into his eyes for a few seconds, purplish red boring into bright red. She stared and stared, using every tell she had learned from her husband’s gift to read Harry. “You’re afraid,” she said finally, after a few tense seconds. “You’re so afraid you don’t actually want to admit to yourself that he’s your mate.” 

Harry swallowed hard because while no, it wasn’t exactly that he didn’t want to admit it, it  _ was  _ true that he had refused to see the signals for what they were - and truly, looking at it from Gazelle’s perspective, it really was obvious. 

“Why are you so damn afraid?” She asked gently, quietly, as if not wanting to startle him.

“Because he’s… he’s so incredibly  _ good. _ He’s beautiful Gazelle, and he’s so young and I can’t… If he is my mate, then the universe is playing a cruel joke on him, and I will not play along,” Harry said finally. “I will not condemn him to a life like that.” 

She rolled her eyes. “A life like what, Harry? You’re so fucking dramatic, honestly. You’re not damning him. There’s no reason to be afraid!” 

Harry stood up then, his eyes shining bright as he switched places with Gazelle, forcing her to sit down, her body moving out of its own accord. “No reason?!” He bellowed. “ _ Have you forgotten what I am _ ?” He growled, hating himself for putting a hint of fear in her eyes. 

“Harry you’re not a fucking monster,” she said finally, when the man released her of his hold. 

“Because I am currently in control,” he corrected. “What happens if I lose it? I don’t… if he becomes my anchor he has to see it all. He will have to… I can’t let him see me at my worst, Gazelle.”

“It will take him centuries to fully become your anchor and he will learn how to do it properly, and if he is meant to be your mate, then he can fucking handle it, Harry. Your body wouldn’t have chosen him otherwise.” 

“Papa chose and my grandmother ended up dead,” Harry reminded her, his voice grave. 

“You are not your grandfather,” she sighed. 

“No, I’m much worse, considering his powers  _ amplified  _ when he vested them on me,” Harry deadpanned. 

“Harry… no offense but you were a fucking baby when your grandmother died. You need to stop taking your mother’s word as the truth. There's certified records of what happened and her story doesn't match them,” Gazelle said with finality.

This wasn't the first time Elvira’s hate for vampires led to Harry being unable to trust himself or his powers. Gazelle had loved the woman for years, until she had finally started uncovering her lies. She had never told Harry all she had found, knowing just how much Harry had loved her, but this was getting ridiculous. Gazelle was just glad the woman was long dead or this would be exponentially harder.

“I know that you love her, but she fucking hated your powers and she took it out on you and your grandfather,” she said seriously. “You should have a little more faith in yourself and  _ a lot  _ more faith in your mate. I mean have you even asked him how he feels about this?” 

Harry clicked his mouth shut. 

It was Gazelle’s turn to be furious. “Harry Reginald Hart, have you not even talked to him about this?! You fucking...,” she rubbed her eyes.”Where is he right now?” 

“I assume in my room, asleep,” Harry said as he sat on his desk, given that the woman had not yet gotten up from where he had left her. 

She froze. “So you’re telling me you left him alone in bed after your first night together?!” She howled, getting up to dig her finger into his suit. “This is his life too! How do you think he’ll feel when he wakes up alone after you bit him? Stop being such a fucking… alright I’ll make this simpler for you, you twat, do you truly love him?”

“You know I do,” Harry said, not even bothering to defend himself. 

“Alright then  _ you will stop running away from him. _ For once in your fucking life  _ express your emotions _ , and let yourself be happy,” She commanded, not sure where this level of courage had come from. She had always been snappy, even with Harry, but even she was not crazy enough to dare boss Harry Hart around. 

Harry opened his mouth, whether to protest or accept defeat, Gazelle never got to find out, because suddenly one of the knights barged into the room, his eyes wild with worry.

Harry stepped away from Gazelle and his desk then, a brow raised and his demeanor changing entirely “What's the matter Lamorak?” 

“My Lord, the castle is under attack,” the man said, taking a step back as he awaited for his master’s reaction.”

Harry froze, paling significantly as he uttered a single word “Eggsy.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> harry's an idiot, but he's a well meaning idiot.


	26. Awakening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I am not a Sunday morning inside four walls  
> with clean blood  
> and organized drawers.  
> I am the hurricane setting fire to the forests  
> at night when no one else is alive  
> or awake  
> however you choose to see it  
> and I live in my own flames  
> sometimes burning too bright and too wild  
> to make things last..."  
> \- Charlotte Eriksson

_Eggsy stared out the open window, taking in deep, calming breaths as he tried to clear his head. He knew it was useless, as his very being was permeated by the scent of Harry, but there was little else he could do._

_He hugged himself tightly as he leaned hard against the window, his eyes falling closed. At least he could wallow in peace. He wasn’t sure he could face anyone at the moment least of all the king._

_He was just so fucking tired, so drained from the night before and now on top of that he was emotionally drained from this morning. All he wanted was to be able to close his eyes and rest. He wanted to have an endless dreamless sleep where he didn’t have to deal with all this bullshit. Being in love had never been this painful. It was painful to love someone that didn’t love him back. It was painful to love someone so much that the very fact he wasn’t near him made Eggsy sad. He hated feeling like this. He had always been a very independent person by nature, and he didn’t know if this was the bond thing that Becca had warned him about, but it was ridiculous that he actually felt like crying because Harry wasn’t here to comfort him._

_He had no idea what the fuck was happening to him, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to find out._

_“Eggsy?” Kay’s voice reverberated throughout the open alcove, making Eggsy jump in surprise. “What the hell are you doing here?”_

_The boy turned, clearly surprised to see Kingsman’s most senior agent and Merlin’s second in command up in here._

_Eggsy gaped at the man, looking like a deer caught in the headlights, before finally saying “I thought no guards were sent up here.”_

_The man raised a brow, not looking terribly impressed. “Yes, we don’t generally have anyone on the top floor, but one of the palace guards on the lower floor informed me that one of my kingsmen was spotted coming up here.”_

_If Eggsy had still been human, he was sure he would be flushing profusely right now. “I… sorry.”_

_“Why did you come up here?” The man asked, this time a little more gently as he noticed the young man’s distress._

_He hadn’t known Eggsy for terribly long, and he, unlike Harry, wasn’t a big fan of humans; however, even as a human, Eggsy had been intriguing to him, and, more importantly, the boy’s passionate loyalty towards his king had warmed Kay’s heart. There were not too many humans he would entrust to keep Harry’s best interest at heart; Eggsy was one of the few Kay trusted. And when he had been turned, the boy had remained strong spirited and ready to work, which was why the call he had received was particularly worrying. It wasn’t like Eggsy to run off, and looking at him close, it was clear to kay that there was some part of his story that he was missing._

_“I… just… I like it here. It’s nice,” Eggsy said evasively. “I needed to catch my breath is all.”_

_“There’s plenty of fresh air in the main gardens, that are heavily secured. You chose the one place where we have little protection. Why?”_

_“Well, it can’t be that unsafe, or you would have placed guards here already,” Eggsy reasoned. “It’s pretty high up, so it’s not like-”_

_“You’re stalling,” Kay pointed out calmly, clasping his hands in front of his body. “Why are you here alone? Actually, why are you here at all? I do believe you have a shift in less than thirty minutes”_

_The boy grimaced. He had completely forgotten he indeed had duties to attend to. “I… sorry.”_

_The man took a step closer. “Eggsy, what happened?”_

_Before the boy could answer, the sound of a grappling hook attaching itself to something behind Eggsy gave the two men pause. They whirled around , just in time to see a group of fucking vampires climb in through the window, armed to the gills._

_“Fucking Hell,” Eggsy breathed, grabbing Kay by the arm only to throw him past the door. The man thankfully had good enough reflexed and thus, instead of toppling down the stairs like Eggsy probably would have, he used the momentum to reach a little further past the stairs and into a roll._

_“Sound the alarm!” Eggsy ordered once the man stood back up, knowing he’d probably be in trouble later for giving orders to his fucking boss, but, whatever, he was too weak right now to be of much use to Kay._

_The least he could do was buy the kingsmen some time, and distracting the vampires was the easiest way to do that._

_“Eggsy!” Kay growled, worry clear in his eyes. “You’re not-”_

_“Get the fuck outta here, go!” Eggsy seethed, slamming the only door leading into the castle with brute force. He whirled around, swallowing hard when he realized that he was completely surrounded by, at the very least, twenty vampires, all looking ready to kill him. Eggsy crouched, letting out an inhuman growl as his instincts took over._

_He couldn’t let them leave this room. He couldn’t let them get to Harry._

_At the thought of the vampire king, something inside him snapped and he hurled himself at the first vampire he saw, thanking heavens for the many years of gymnastics training he had received while still in his human form. He grabbed the vampire by the neck and twisted them both in the air, wrapping firs one leg around the man as he pulled out his gun, shooting another vampire just as he broke the neck of the one he was holding in between his legs. He shot him too before getting up, only to be slammed back down by a ferocious looking woman._

_“Stay down, bloodsucker,” she growled, a vicious smile on her face. “There’s no use resisting. This kingdom will fall, one way or the other.”_

_Eggsy looked angrily into her hate filled eyes and for a second, for one terrifying second, he realized she really was not kidding. These assholes, whoever they were, were not gonna stop, and Eggsy could not do much to help the man he loved. He was too weak._

_He was too weak to protect him._

_No, there was no way in hell they were getting to Harry._

_Eggsy roared then, anger love and anguish all mixing into one potent cocktail of emotions, fueling a fire within Eggsy he did not even know it existed, but he knew deep down it could burn them all. He grabbed the woman by the throat, finding strength where there wasn’t any left, and quickly swapped their places, bringing her crashing down to the floor. He closed his eyes for a second and pushed that unexplainable burning feeling outwards, ignoring her feeble struggles against his iron grip. He groaned exhaustedly as he felt the fire inside him ignite and explode outwards at his command, burning his consciousness in the process. He felt too tired to keep up with what was happening within him. He opened his eyes then, holding back a gasp when he realized that the room and everything around him was on fire . He looked down at his own body, swallowing hard when he realized the fire was coming from within himself, from his very skin._

_It wasn’t just a feeling. It was real. Everything around him was burning as the swirling fire erupted from out of him, flowing out faster and faster with every second that passed. He stood up on unsteady legs, half smiling when he realized not one of the fucking vampires that had come to harm their kingdom had been able to reach the door before the fire had started. They would all burn to death here with Eggsy and, as morbid as that was, it felt ridiculously good to know no one could get through him. No one could harm Harry. He, the young fledgling that Chester and his lot loved to look down on had stopped them all._

_Belatedly he realized perhaps he needed to cut out the fire. While burning the vampires in the room was certainly his goal, he didn’t want to burn anyone else outside, and the door was already halfway through being burnt. Thankfully the walls were made of stone, so Eggsy hoped the fire wouldn’t carry, but his fire didn’t seem to follow the normal laws of physics. The vicious red flames were licking at everything they could, and it didn’t seem to matter whether the surface they were on was flammable or not. The fire was not abating. It was like the dam had been broken and there was no stopping the fire from flowing out of Eggsy in destructive waves._

_He groaned in pain again, starting to feel the last bits of his energy leaving him for good. He needed to find a way to stop the fire, and he needed to find a way to stop it soon, or his own power would kill him. He didn’t have enough energy within him at the moment to sustain it or control it._

_“Harry,” Eggsy pleaded, as if the man could appear out of thin air to help him, before he fell to his knees, his world dimming into a vortex of whirling fire._

* * *

“Stay here, Gazelle,” Harry said once he managed to process the shock induced by Lamorak’s words. Eggsy had to be fine. Hopefully he had not abandoned Harry’s bedroom. If he hadn’t then he was certainly safe. I f he had…. Harry shook his head, forcing his voice to rise above his crippling worry. “If the castle is under attack-”

“If you think I’m going to hide here while you are under attack-” she seethed, interrupting Harry.

“You are not supposed to be here in the first place! You’re here at my behest and your husband will have all our heads if he finds out I put you in danger,” Harry interjected, raising his voice above her own.

She snorted. “As if he would dare try to harm you,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “I’m coming with you, Harry. Now shut up and let Lamorak show us the way. The sooner we stop the threat, the sooner we can make sure your boy is safe.”

That was enough to both give Harry pause and get him moving. He turned to his Kingsman, his eyes all business. “Where was the initial breach and where are they now?”

“There were two points of attack, one was near the royal wing, and that one has already been neutralized, but another squad was sent to the alcoves,” the man explained as they walked out of the room, Harry picking up his set of weapons as he went. “The first wave comprised mostly of humans. However, Kay informed us that the second wave was made up only of vampires - all fledglings, my Lord.”

Gazelle hummed, leaning down to rip her skirt, revealing two sets of sharp blades. “If I remember correctly, the alcove has always been the weak point of your castle since you’ve never bothered to keep at least two guards up there,” Gazelle said in an accusatory tone.

Harry sighed, checking his loaded weapon. “Humans are not really equipped to reach such heights, and there _are_ protections on the floor right below the alcoves. It's not completely unprotected.”

“Don't try to ruin my I told you so moment,” she teased as they finally reached the main entrance to the lower floor of the alcoves. “You should have planned for an imminent attack by your own kind.”

“And they call _me_ paranoid,” Harry groused, turning to face Gawain, who immediately began approaching them. Harry squared his jaw and prepared for the worst of news, considering the man looked more than a little panicked.

“My Lord, you need to get back!” Gawain implored.

Harry raised a brow, clearly not about to do as the man asked. “How many are there, Gawain?”

The young man shook his head. “Twenty to twenty five, we’re not sure, but that’s not the problem right now, your Majesty. The problem is the inferno.”

Harry froze “inferno? What do you mean inferno? What the bloody hell is going on?”

“Harry!” Merlin called out as he barged in from the same door Harry had come from. “I’m sorry I was dealing with the smaller breach. I came as soon as I could. Bors told me there are fledglings in this batch of-”

Gawain stepped in again, looking between the two men. “My lords, I really must ask you to leave immediately-”

“I am _not_ leaving until you tell me what the hell you meant by an inferno,” Harry bristled.

Gawain was one of their newer agents, and so he hadn't yet had the opportunity to deal with the short-tempered king. He didn't yet understand how stubborn the man was, or how unwilling he was to take orders from his knights - even if said orders were only meant to keep him safe. Before the man could answer Harry, however, a commotion in the east side hall drew Harry’s attention. Whoever it was that was coming, he was certainly as unhappy as Harry was feeling.

“HOLD YOUR FUCKING FIRE OR I WILL PERSONALLY DISMEMBER YOU!” Kay roared as he emerged from the second door which had captured Harry’s attention, his eyes ablaze as he stalked up to four if his agents who were clearly gearing up to go upstairs for the kill.

All the agents froze, no one having ever heard, or seen, the man this angry. Even Harry was inclined to agree that the poor agents did not deserve such treatment, particularly in times of duress. But then again, _someone had yet to explain to him what the bloody hell was going on._

Another one of their younger agents stepped forward to face Kay, brazenly speaking up from a misplaced sense of worry. “Sir, the fire is spreading-”

“One of our agents is still up there,” Kay seethed, clearly not in the mood to argue. “And _he’s the one that started the damn inferno.”_

“None of our agents are pyrotechnics,” Harry said as he stepped forward, feeling even more confused. “Kay, what fire are-”

His words were cut short as flames began descending down the stairs as if propelled by an overwhelming explosion, the heat of the bright flames unlike anything Harry had ever felt. He covered his eyes as the fire blazed past him, beginning to encircle the room.

_So that's the inferno they were talking about._

“We didn't have a pyrotechnic, not until today,” Kay agreed with a chagrined expression. “It’s Eggsy, my lord. His powers have awakened.”

Harry gaped at the man, not believing his ears. “Awakened? But how… he’s not even a year old yet!” Harry looked around him at the uncontrolled fire, and a chill ran down his spine. “He… His power is fire based?”

Kay nodded, suppressing a sigh. “I don’t know why he awakened, my lord. I… I spoke to him briefly this morning, and he did seem exhausted, but it gave me no indication that his powers had begun awakening.”

“Harry… remind me, how much did you drink last night?” Gazelle suddenly asked, keeping her voice low enough to keep the conversation to only the few people around them.

Harry bit his lip, looking horrified and embarrassed at the same time. “Clearly more than I should have,” was his only chagrined answered.

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Merlin groaned, rubbing his eyes. “Seriously? Harry… I love you but what the buggering fuck?”

“Now is not the time for lectures,” Gazelle was quick to intervene. “Particularly not when Harry’s mate is in danger.”

“You mated?!” Merlin all but screamed, unable to hide his panicked surprise.

“Keep your voice down, for fuck’s sake, Merlin,” Harry growled, wanting to strangle his brother. “No, we have not mated yet.”

“I will not say this again, he _is_ your destined mate and we both know it,” Gazelle snapped back.

“And I’m not arguing the point with you,” Harry snapped back just as easily. “And, quite frankly, now is really not the time to be talking about such trivial bullshit. We need to help him.”

Merlin nodded, finally conceding the point. He would grill his brother about this later. “We need to get to him - and fast,” Merlin piped up as he placed his hand on his brother’s forearm. “The only reason that can explain this is that his body lashed out in self defense. That means he’s down to his energy reserves Harry, and this fucking fire is going to consume whatever energy is left in him.”

Harry grew pale at his brother’s words. “How do we stop it? If he’s that far gone, then-”

“You’re the only one that will be able to reach him,” Gazelle said, matter-of-factly. “The bond you have now may be weak, but, combined with your powers, it should allow you to pull him back into himself, but you have to hurry the fuck up, Harry.”

Merlin shook his head. “How do you expect him to get through the fire? He’s not exactly fireproof,” the man said stiffly, not wanting to fight Gazelle, but not willing to risk Harry either. “And he can’t use his-”

“This is my mistake,” Harry said, his voice leaving no room for arguments. “I am going in to fix it,” he said before whirling around, his long jacket making elegant rivulets in the air as he walked towards the staircase. He closed his eyes, drowning out the concerned voices around him as he concentrated on the blood flow around him.

There were, like he had been told, nearly twenty five fledglings upstairs aside from Eggsy - all dead. Most of them had probably been changed less than two years ago, if the almost human quality their blood retained was anything to go by. He established a light connection with them - or, more accurately, with the now still blood that had once flowed in them.

He raised his arm and extended his palm, the room darkening immediately as Harry allowed the beast within to release some of its restless energy. He could feel the very air changing all around the room as the almost sinister presence flowing from inside of him dampened even the fire swirling around them. He was barely scratching the surface of his power, but he knew it more power than he generally allowed himself to use - particularly when in company. Still, he couldn’t delve on that at the moment; there was no time to lose. He needed to get to Eggsy, and he needed to get to Eggsy _now_.

With but a flick of his mind, he called the dormant blood lying upstairs to him. The more sanguine part of him revelled in the way the blood eagerly forced itself out of its host bodies, leaving behind a gruesome sight. He could feel the agents tensing behind him, and he opened his eyes, not to look at them, but to behold the sight of a small river of blood flowing down the stairs, completely unhindered by the rising fire. He step forward then, too enthralled with the sight of the blood rising and flying towards him to notice he was floating. He allowed a single strand of blood to touch his hand, as if in greeting, before Harry closed his fist tightly. The blood, which had begun swirling around him in fine lines, suddenly regrouped and thickened as it enclosed Harry in a thick cocoon. He pushed his hand outward, the cocoon immediately propelling itself forward in the air, carrying Harry deeper into the fire. He guided the cocoon with small movements of his hand, keeping his eyes closed as he concentrated only on the light bond he had formed with Eggsy the night before.

He opened his eyes when he felt the cocoon growing in order to accommodate Eggsy, who had been absorbed into said cocoon without conscious effort on Harry’s part. Harry’s heart broke as he noticed Eggsy’s naked, shaking frame. He was already far past overexertion, and the way his skin was starting to redden from the fire was a clear indication that he had passed the point of control a very long time ago.

Harry closed the distance between them, hugging Eggsy from the back. He pressed Eggsy hard against himself, resting one of his hands against the boy’s heart. He grimaced as he felt himself starting to burn up, the fire coming from Eggsy’s skin not letting up. However, Harry did not let go. Instead, he pulled on that light string connecting the two of them, forcing Eggsy’s mind to awaken despite the still raging fire.

“Eggsy, you have to stop darling,” Harry whispered gently, pressing against the boy’s heart as he sent a wave of sharp pain with his powers to awaken the boy and to beat back the raging inferno. “This is not who you are, Eggsy. Come back to me… _come back to me my love_ ,” Harry said again, delving into their faint connection with everything he had.

Eggsy suddenly gasped and shuddered in his arms, the fire disappearing as quickly as it had started. Harry held the young man closer, his own frame shaking as he forced his powers back into the deepest corners of his mind. This time, however, he was not able to lay them asleep again. He could feel the beast awake within him, unwilling to give an inch, mostly since Harry had not fed enough to fully remain in control.

He ignored the need to destroy, however, instead concentrating on the boy now laying in his arms. He picked Eggsy up bridal style and stood up, draping his unburnt jacket on top of Eggsy to cover his body. Once he was sure Eggsy's virtue was covered, he ran down the stairs with ease. His knights and guards were still gathered there, all rendered speechless by both Eggsy’s and Harry’s display of power. Clearly, they hadn’t expected for a fledgling to be that powerful and, while conceptually they understood that Harry’s strength was almost mythical, they had never seen him do more than control the occasional individual.

They had never seen him drain people of their blood, had never seen him so openly manipulate the element, and, more importantly, they had never _felt_ the animal within. They had had no more than a small glimpse, not even a full taste of the true nature lying dormant within Harry, and yet he could almost taste their fear.

It was heartbreaking and intoxicating at the same time.

Harry sighed, shaking his head. “Kay, the alcoves need to be cleaned up. I want the guard to be doubled until we are sure no more of these fuckers are coming.I want two guards with Queen Gazelle until her entourage arrives to escort her safely back home. I do apologize, my dear, but I won't be able to be there to bid you a good trip back home. Merlin, come with me,” Harry barked out, as gently as he could while also making sure it sounded like an order.

Merlin nodded and followed Harry out of the room, seemingly unfazed by the display of power, which made sense considering Merlin was the only vampire alive that had ever seen Harry near the edge of losing control. This had been childsplay compared to the horror Merlin had seen many many years ago. 

It had been a terrifying day for both of them, and since then the man had made it his personal goal to make sure Harry never pushed himself like that again. He hoped never to live through something like that again. Of course, the one good thing that had come of that infamous day was that it had made Merlin lose his fear of his brother. He had finally caught more than just a small glimpse of the beast, had finally understood why it was that Harry was so careful not to let it out. He had understood that Harry’s true nature, the one he so painstakingly suppressed, was fucking _terrifying_ but he had also understood that day how truly good his brother was.

Harry had had to carry that burden on his own since before he could speak, and yet he had never complained, had never faltered. He, thanks to his mother, had developed a good, loving heart, if a little too full of self-hatred due to his mother’s own hate.

He was good in a way not even Merlin was, and he was deadly in a way no one but Harry himself could understand.

“How long until Percival gets here?” Harry asked once they reached his personal rooms. He put Eggsy on the bed, turning slightly to look at his brother.

“About four hours,” Merlin said with a worried look.

Harry shook his head. “That’s too much time. Tell Percival that Eggsy is hurt, and that I need him to get here in less than three if possible.” Harry sat on the bed, moving Eggsy to rest against his chest as he took off his jacket.

“What are you doing?” Merlin asked as he tensed, his eyes narrowing.

“What do you think?” Harry snapped, folding up his sleeve. “I’m giving him my blood.”

Merlin was ready to rip out his nonexistent hair. “Harry-”

“He doesn’t have four hours, Merlin. He needs blood immediately. He wouldn’t be in this state if it wasn’t for my mistakes, and I am _not_ going to lose my mate like this.” With that, Harry brought his hand up, biting into his wrist deeply enough to draw a generous amount of blood. He placed his wrist against Eggsy’s lips just like he had when the boy had been dying, and the morbid image made him shudder with anger - anger at himself.

At the first drop of blood, Eggsy’s wild eyes snapped opened and he grabbed Harry’s wrist, viciously biting as he clung to the man’s arm like a lifeline. It was clear that Eggsy was still too far gone, instinct having taken over as he struggled to survive.

A low moan ripped itself out of Harry’s throat as the man looked away, Eggsy’s teeth enough to trigger a similar pleasure to the one he he had felt when he himself had drunk from Eggsy. He pressed Eggsy close to him, a small part of him knowing he would have to stop Eggsy soon.

He never found out, however, if he had the strength to stop his boy, for Merlin pried Harry’s wrist away, holding Eggsy down on the bed by his neck as he pushed Harry off of the bed.

“That’s enough,” he bit out, whether as an order to Eggsy or Harry the man wasn’t sure. Eggsy struggled against Merlin’s hold for a few seconds, before exhaustion took him again and he fell asleep, though this time he looked considerably better now that he had fed - at least somewhat. “That will help him until Percival gets here. Now, I am staying here while you both rest - on separate surfaces,” he instructed, his voice leaving no room for arguments.

“I think I can control myself enough to not harm him if I’m just laying next to him,” Harry said, sounding offended.

Merlin rolled his eyes. “He will try to bite you again, and you don’t have enough self control right now to not snap. _I can feel it awake_ , Harry.”

That was enough to shut the man up. “I’d rather not sleep if it’s all the same to you.” Harry said after a few seconds. “I don’t feel drained, and it’s much harder to… well, like I said, I’d rather stay up.”

Merlin regarded his brother for a moment, a tinge of worry in his eyes before he nodded, patting a spot on the bed next to him where they could both wait for the next few hours for Percival to arrive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was supposed to be a lot shorter, but it actually got so long I had to cut some of it and put that in the next one, lol. 
> 
> Fyi, the first scene with Eggsy happens before/ at the same time as the events of last chapter hence why it's in italics.
> 
> Oh, also I am back on [tumblr](https://ogkingsmanhartwin.tumblr.com/), if you wanna come and chat


	27. Stay with Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Love conquers the body by embracing it,  
> conquers the mind by massaging it,  
> conquers the heart by kissing it,  
> and conquers the soul by marrying it.”   
> ― Matshona Dhliwayo

“As much as I appreciate your speed, dear Percival, I’m afraid you’re still not allowed in my room,” Harry said, his voice muffled by his hands as he was covering his tired face. 

“Oh get over yourself Harry,” the man said with an eye roll. “Merlin is here, is he not?”

“I’m his brother,” Merlin said icily, though he did not kick Percival out, which was already a win in the man’s eyes.

“Buy air freshener,” Percival said sarcastically, though clearly still unbothered by the fact that this made Harry uncomfortable. He stepped deeper into the room, throwing a black bag with at least a dozen blood bags in Merlin’s direction. “Feed them to this bastard will you? I’ll take care of Eggsy.” 

Before Harry could protest, Percival had crossed all the way to his bed, sitting carefully on the edge as he opened his own black bag and retrieved a blood bag. He opened it carefully and poured it all into Eggsy’s mouth, feeling a pang of sympathy when Eggsy, who was still unconscious, began feeding desperately.  

“We’ll change the sheets later,” Merlin promised, sounding slightly amused as he passed Harry a now open bag. 

Harry glared at Percival for a second longer before finally giving in. He took the bag from his brother’s hand and drank it all in long gulps, extending his hand without much thought, silently asking for the next. Merlin gave it to him without comment, keeping one eye on Harry and one eye on Eggsy as they fed. Harry wasn’t sure how many times he extended his hand to grab yet another bag of blood, but he did not stop until the beast inside was pleasantly asleep and his body was back to full vigour.

When he finally opened his eyes he was met with his brother’s calm gaze and with a slightly judgemental one from Percival. Harry raised a brow at him, not quite wanting a confrontation but not liking the man’s look either. 

Percival shrugged delicately. “I just didn’t expect you to drink all sixteen bags. That’s, what, two full humans?” 

Merlin rolled his eyes and swat Percival on the arm. “Your king has been starving for over a week and  _ that’s _ your concern?”

Percival shrugged again. “I haven’t been around him in decades. I don’t know his feeding patterns. Sue me.” 

“I actually could feed a lot more,” Harry admitted as he relaxed back against the bed, turning slightly to look at Eggsy. “But I prefer to space out my meals.” He touched the young man’s cheek softly, letting out a soft sigh of relief. 

Percival regarded him quietly for a moment. “How often do you generally feed?” He asked, a tinge of curiosity in his voice. 

It was the first time he realized he didn’t actually know the king’s feeding schedule. Not even when they had been close friends had Harry fed in front of him. He wasn’t sure why, but the man was very private about that - amongst many other things. 

Harry didn’t respond, instead turning to look at Merlin with a small smile, the two engaging in a silent conversation. After a few moments, Merlin sighed but nodded, turning to look at Percival.

“Harry feeds once a day. Though not in such large quantities,” Merlin said, his voice sounding almost clinical. 

Percival’s brows shot up, and he turned to look at Harry again, feeling the need to reorganize everything he knew about the man. “You need that much blood?” 

Harry hummed, his eyes back on Eggsy. “Thank you for coming to us so quickly,” Harry said after a few quiet moments. “Now… I do have to ask you to leave. Otherwise it will be terribly hard to get your smell out of here, and I don’t fancy burning my room to the ground. I can have one of the maids prepare you a room, and we’ll come meet you once Eggsy wakes up.” 

Percival rolled his eyes, but acquiesced. He had never had much of a problem with people walking into his room, but then again, he enjoyed different smells and his nose was not nearly as sensitive as Harry’s, and while riling the man up was an endless source of fun, he wasn’t an asshole either. And so he got up and, with a curt nod to both of the conscious men, he left the room, for once not worrying about Eggsy’s well being.

* * *

Eggsy woke up with a start, feeling, strangely warm and, for once, not thirsty. He had no idea where he was, but he was too dazed and happy to give a damn. He stretched slowly, still feeling slightly disoriented, but enjoying the warmth too much to open his eyes. He rolled to his side, humming happily at the way the silk sheets felt against his naked body, clinging just enough to make him feel warm in his cocoon. He ran a hand down the sheets, humming again at the feeling. 

“Get up lad, we know you’re awake,” Merlin said, sounding amused, which was enough to snap Eggsy out of his dazed reverie. 

The memories of the vampires attacking the alcoves and the burning fire suddenly came back to his mind and he sat up immediately, opening his eyes to look around him, half expecting to find his enemies still alive.

“Shhh, it’s alright, Eggsy. You’re safe,” Harry said immediately, grabbing Eggsy by the hand as he gently tugged him back down, bringing him slightly closer to himself. 

Eggsy looked back at the voice then, freezing when he came face to face with the vampire king. “Harry? What-” He shook his head. “Harry, the intruders-”

“Are all dead,” the man finished calmly, before pulling Eggsy again, this time a little harder. The young man yelped as he fell forward, his entire front resting against Harry.

Eggsy flushed, not understanding what the hell was happening. Last time he had seen Harry, the man had fucking left Eggsy alone and yet here he was pressing Eggsy, who was clearly  _ naked _ , closer to him. 

“Where's my clothes?” Eggsy asked in a high pitch, half blushing as he considered pulling away. 

Harry gave him a devious smile, before pulling the covers up, making sure Eggsy’s naked body was still covered. While Harry knew Merlin had seen him naked more times than he could count, and he himself had seen both Merlin and his wife in more compromising positions than they themselves would have preferred, he did not want the man's eyes on his mate. 

“They were burnt away in the fire,” Merlin said as he leaned against on the posters of the bed. “I was going to help changing you, but Harry here wouldn’t let anyone touch you,” he said in a saccharine tone while he glared at his brother. 

He was never going to let Harry live this down. Merlin could already tell, the man was going to be too possessive for his own good. It was going to be a pain in the ass to deal with him, if he did in fact bond with Eggsy.

“Your powers have awakened, Eggsy,” Harry explained, pointedly ignoring Merlin. 

Eggsy pulled away slowly then, looking between Harry and Merlin. “My powers? What do you mean?” 

“Remember how I explained once that some of us have special abilities?” Harry asked gently, smiling when the boy nodded, hanging onto Harry’s every word. “Well yours have awakened.”

“But I’m a fledgling,” Eggsy said, sounding confused. He could remember very clearly that he had been the one to start the fire. However, it made no sense to him. Because, as far as Chester had put it, he, by virtue of being a fledgling was somehow lesser - both in ranking and in strength - to the usual vampire. 

“Lad, that doesn’t matter,” Merlin said, feeling a pang of sympathy for the boy. “What defines whether or not you’ll develop abilities is your biological status, not whether or not you were born as one of us.” He sighed, half kicking himself for not having gone over all of this with the boy when he had first been turned. “Only Alpha primes and Omegas develop abilities. They are also the only ones whose blood has the necessary qualities that can change a human being into a vampire.”

Eggsy stared between the two men, mulling over Merlin’s words before asking “So… I can… change humans?” 

Merlin nodded. “Eggsy… I know we differentiate between fledglings and those that have been born into this life. However, overall, there are no real differences between a vampire that is born as one and one that is changed.” Merlin grimaced. “Well no that’s not entirely true, sometimes it  _ is _ true that fledglings can be exponentially weaker, particularly if those that changed them are weaker nobles, but that is clearly not the case for you. The biggest difference, perhaps, is levels of strength, since we grow stronger as time passes. So, you won’t be a strong as a vampire that has been around for hundreds of years, but you can make up for that in other areas.”

Eggsy frowned. “So all the crap the recruits and Chester said… it’s all bullshit? Why is there such a fucking stigma?” 

“Because Fledglings are not born into our world, and that scares a lot of people,” Merlin said with a shrug. “You have to remember, humans and vampires have not exactly had the smoothest of relationships. To most humans, we are predators, whom for centuries they tried to kill. To most vampires, humans are just inconvenient, often uncontrollable, food. So when a human is transformed, they often fail to adapt to their new reality. They either become enemies to the clans or refuse to accept their new society.”

Eggsy bit his tongue, but did not comment on their assbackwardness. He wasn't sure who was more to blame there; vampires or humans. Probably both, as much as Eggsy hated to admit it.

“So what exactly is my power?” He asked after a few seconds of silence. “I can make fire?”

“Essentially, yes. You are a pyrokinetic,” Harry said with a small smile. “You can make and manipulate the element, which is quite useful, considering how easily vampires burn. It's an extraordinarily powerful offensive ability.”

Eggsy preened at that, unable to hide how happy Harry's praise made him. “Am I stronger than you then?” He teased, realizing, albeit a little late, that he didn’t actually know what Harry’s powers were. 

Merlin had said the man was very powerful, but he had never actually told him  _ what  _ Harry could do. 

Both Harry and Merlin chuckled, sharing an almost painfully knowing look, before Merlin said “Lad, trust me, you don’t want to be more powerful than this bastard.”

Harry hummed in agreement, a hint of sadness crossing his bright red eyes. “You might prove to be stronger than Merlin one day, however,” Harry teased, avoiding his brother’s swat by mere inches. 

“You have powers too Merlin?” Eggsy asked curiously, which earned a full blown laugh from Harry.

Merlin rolled his eyes, considering just throttling his brother before he answered “Yes, lad, I do. I’m an Alpha prime, like this insufferable twat over here. My powers, however, are not really meant for combat. I can perceive people’s intentions, their wants and their plans of action, and I also know when someone is lying to me.” 

“guv, that sounds really fuckin’ useful,” Eggsy said as he blinked at Merlin, half in awe. “Yeh would be amazing for an organization like MI6.” 

Merlin chuckled. “Yes, I suppose I would be. Unfortunately for them, my loyalty lies elsewhere,” he said as he regarded Harry warmly. “It’s not an infallible ability, sadly. I can’t discern prior intentions, so there have been occasions where I have been tricked.” 

Harry immediately grabbed Merlin’s hand, whether to comfort him or stop him, Eggsy wasn’t sure. 

“How did the fire stop?” Eggsy asked, not sure whether or not it was okay for him to stop the private moment between the two men.

That made Harry’s attention snap back to Eggsy as he shuffled back uncomfortably. “I guess you could say I stopped you,” Harry started, clearly unsure of how to proceed.

Eggsy frowned, confused as to the sudden change in Harry. He was getting really fucking tired of the mood swings. They had gone from sleeping together to Harry leaving him alone to Harry all but coddling him a few minutes ago to Harry once again pulling away. Eggsy pulled the covers closer as he sat up straight, turning more to his side to be able to fully face Harry. 

“What did you do?” He asked, tired of letting Harry skedaddle away without so much as a by your leave. 

“I used a combination of things, but mainly… how much do you remember of what happened after you lost control this morning?”

Eggsy flushed, biting his lip as he looked away, forcing himself to look back on the day. He remembered starting the fire. He remembered seeing everything burn and he remembered falling to his knees… he remembered blood. He was sure it had been a fit of his imagination, but he could remember being engulfed in a cocoon of fire and blood. He could remember too being embraced, being engulfed by a warm heat and a familiar voice - Harry’s voice - calling him back.

“Um… I’m not sure if what I remembered even happened, to be honest,” Eggsy said evasively. “But that don’t really answer my question, Harry.” 

Harry sighed. “Last night, when I drank from you… a partial bond was established,” Harry explained softly. “I was able to use it, alongside a bit of my own abilities, to pull you back from the brick.”

“So… you  _ were _ there,” Eggsy whispered, his eyes widening involuntarily as he inched closer, half in wonder. 

Harry nodded, suddenly looking apologetic. “I am so sorry for leaving you alone, Eggsy,” he started, grabbing the younger man’s hand. “I just… I needed to talk to Gazelle to clear my head. After what I did to you I…” Harry sighed, looking away.

Eggsy frowned, feeling a pang of jealousy flare deep inside him, making him all tingly as the fire started brewing out of its own accord. “Who the fuck is Gazelle?” 

Harry’s brows shot up, surprised by the venom in Eggsy’s voice. “She’s Valentine’s wife.” 

“Oh,” Eggsy said, the fire all but disappearing at that. He bit his lip, feeling slightly embarrassed by his outburst. “You told her about… about what happened last night?” 

“Uh… I… yes… I didn’t think you’d mind. I just… I couldn’t- ” Harry sighed again, pressing two elegant fingers against his forehead. Here he was, Harry Hart vampire extraordinaire, unable to string a sentence together. “Eggsy, I established a partial bond between us and I couldn’t-”

Eggsy felt himself recoil slightly, the reality of the situation hitting him straight in the face. Becca had told him vampires could bond to one another when drinking from each other. Harry hadn’t wanted that - He still didn’t want it, and so he had had to run to fucking Gazelle for help. 

“You don’t have to… I know you didn’t want it, Harry. It’s not..” Eggsy shook his head, not entirely sure what he was supposed to say. Because  _ I’m sorry I made you bond with me  _ didn’t seem like enough of an answer.

Harry froze “What?” He breathed out, feeling like he had been punched in the stomach at the look of utter heartbreak on Eggsy’s face. “No, Eggsy, no, you don’t understand,” the man was quick to say, moving closer to Eggsy in mere seconds. He grabbed the boy by the chin, forcing him to look up into Harry’s eyes. “ _ I love you _ ,” he whispered, forcing himself not to run away like every fiber of his body wanted. “I love you, and I wanted to spare you and _ I failed _ .” 

Eggsy grabbed onto Harry’s wrists, almost forgetting himself as he stared at the man’s full lips, feeling an almost out of body experience. Harry loved him.

_ He loved him. _

How the everloving fuck was that possible? He was sure this wasn’t real. He had to be imagining this. It didn’t make sense that Harry loved him back, and it made even less sense that Harry was sparing Eggsy by staying away. None of Harry’s words made sense, particularly not in a sentence. 

“I don’t understand,” Eggsy said after a few torturous seconds. “What the fuck are you sparing me from?” 

“I was trying to spare you from mating with me,” Harry explained, finally moving his hands away. 

“Why the fuck would you do that for?” Eggsy asked, starting to get angry. 

“Because your life would be infinitely easier if you didn’t mate him,” Merlin cut in, as honest and calm as always. 

Eggsy was ready to slap the bald man. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” 

“Eggsy mating with my brother would be an extraordinarily difficult undertaking for you,” Merlin explained gently. “He isn’t just a vampire, lad. He’s the vampire  _ King,  _ which would make you the King’s consort. You wouldn’t just have to adapt to our society, you would have to fully live out our values and accept and defend our laws - no matter how much you might dislike some of them.”

Harry nodded in agreement. “You are but a few months old, there is  _ so much  _ you haven’t seen yet. Being part of the royal family is a duty most would not want,” Harry said, thankful for Merlin’s presence. “Not only that but if you mate with me…” Harry sighed, looking back up at Merlin, his eyes pleading.

“You would have to anchor Harry,” Merlin finished.

“I don’t know what that is,” Eggsy admitted, still looking defiantly at the two men. 

“Some vampires have very volatile abilities so they need someone to anchor them - someone that can reach them and pull them back if they lose control.”

Eggsy gaped at the two of them, his eyes flaring. “So, what, I can't be with Harry because you think I can't handle a few posh wankers and because I wouldn't be a good anchor or whatever?” 

Merlin shook his head, making a mental note to talk to Eggsy about that chip on his shoulder. “This isn't about your capabilities, Eggsy. It's about Harry’s powers.” 

“Which you still haven't told me what they are,” the boy snapped. 

“My powers are my family’s heirloom, if you would,” Harry said, smiling to himself at his play on words. “Now, this is a bit of an oversimplification, but at its very core, my ability allows me to control blood,” Harry said, not looking at Eggsy in the eye. 

“So you can, what, make people bleed?” Eggsy said, not sounding very impressed.

Harry chuckled. “Yes, I suppose that’s one of the things I can do.”

“This still doesn’t tell me why I wouldn’t be able to help ya,” Eggsy deadpanned. “It doesn’t sound all that impressive, if I’m honest.” 

Harry chuckled again, looking fondly at Eggsy. “You’re right, it really doesn’t. It sounds a bit boring, when you compare it to-” 

“It doesn’t sound impressive because he’s not actually telling you anything like the twat he is,” Merlin grunted as he closed his eyes, resting his head against his poster. “Every living creature has blood inside them, lad. Blood is the most vital element, and to have control over it is to have control over everything. It is a dangerous ability precisely because of its all-encompassing quality. It doesn’t just mean making them bleed. Harry can manipulate bodies, he can manipulate internal pressures and blood flow. He can solidify or change the properties of blood itself. He can create blood puppets. He can replicate others’ powers by establishing a connection with his victim’s blood either by drinking it or just being near it. He can-”

“I think he gets the point, Merlin,” Harry cut in sharply, glaring daggers at his brother. 

He couldn’t believe his brother’s nerve. He never talked about his abilities, not with anyone other than his grandfather - who had been the one to teach Harry how to control his powers - and Merlin, who had been his confidant for centuries. Merlin had been the one to comfort him when Harry had prattled the long list of things he could do and the ones he had a hunch he could do, based on his grandfather’s explanation. Merlin had been the one there when Harry had done extensive testing to see his limits. Merlin had been the one there that had witnessed him almost reach the brink. Merlin had been the one there that had witnessed the devastation caused by Harry, had been the one to hold Harry as the - then young - vampire cried and lamented his own reckless stupidity. 

“ _ He needs to know,  _ Harry,” Merlin said softly, opening his eyes again to stare deeply into his brother’s eyes. “If he’s to be your mate, he needs to understand what he’s getting himself into.” 

Harry sighed and bit his lip, knowing deep inside that Merlin was right. Damn him. He looked back up at Eggsy, whose eyes were wide as he processed the information Merlin had just dumped on him, and he sighed. 

“It’s not a problem of the vastness of my power,” he said eventually, not quite meeting Eggsy’s eyes. “But rather… it’s a problem of my nature. I am not a good man, Eggsy. No matter how many lives I save, or how many treaties I make, the truth is at my core I will always be this world’s biggest predator. I will always want to kill and destroy. The beast within will never be satiated,” Harry’s tone grew lower and lower as he went on, looking more and more haunted. “That is exactly why I avoid using my power, because, the more of my power I use, the less control I have over the savagery living within me.” 

Eggsy felt something within him break at the sight of Harry’s own hatred. It made no sense to him how such a beautiful, polite, funny, and all around wonderful man could speak with such hatred towards himself no less. It made no sense, and it made Eggsy want to hit whoever it was that had made Harry hate himself like this. This entire time he had thought Harry couldn’t love him because Eggsy would never measure up to what he deserved. And yet he had been wrong. This fucking idiot he had fallen in love with didn’t want to be with him because he didn’t think he was good enough for Eggsy. 

And wasn’t that fucking ridiculous. 

Eggsy pressed closer to Harry then, cupping his face with his palm. “Hey… look at me,” he pleaded with a soft whisper. “You’re not a bad man, Harry,” Eggsy said, his words holding enough conviction for the both of them. “And yeah I might have never seen your powers, and maybe they are a bitch contain, but  _ I love you,  _ and I am not afraid of you. I know who you are, and I sure as shit don’t think your powers have to define you. I am not going to let you push me away, Harry Hart,” Eggsy warned seriously. “I’m not. We can figure this out together, okay?” 

Harry sighed, finally looking up at Eggsy. “You will live to regret this,” Harry warned him, though Eggsy could almost hear the defeat in his voice. 

“I don’t think I will,” Eggsy countered as he leaned in, happily capturing the man’s lips in a soft, chaste kiss. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now you know more about Harry and they've finally gotten their heads out of their asses eeeeeeey   
> More things will come to light later on, but if you have any pressing questions or comments please feel free to comment!   
> Now I won't tell you what it is, but y'all should be very excited for next chapter. 
> 
> Also, if you are interested, I have published the first 3 chapters of my (31 chapter long) [TGC fix-it fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12198435/chapters/27698769) featuring a shiton of pining Harry for a change. So if you want to check that out, 10% of it is out haha


	28. Point of No Return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Past the point of no return  
> No backward glances  
> The games we've played till now are at an end  
> Past all thought of if or when  
> No use resisting  
> Abandon thought and let the dream descend  
> What raging fire shall flood the soul?  
> What rich desire unlocks its door?  
> What sweet seduction lies before us"   
> \- Phantom of the Opera

“Percival is waiting for us and you have to meet with Kay,” Merlin said none too subtly before the chaste kiss could turn into something more devious - something he most certainly did  _ not  _ want to see. 

Harry pulled away slowly, with a longing look, keeping a hand firmly on Eggsy's covered knee. He looked into his soon-to-be mate’s eyes for a few seconds, unable to hold back a smile at the utter love he could see there. He knew this was a fucking bad idea. It would probably come back and bite him in the ass, but how could he say now at this point? While he knew his arguments were more than good, Eggsy just seemed to be able to break his resolve as easily as Harry could break a person by merely looking at them. 

It was a heady feeling, despite how dangerous Harry knew this was. It wasn’t good for him to be this easily swayed by Eggsy, especially not when the choice he was making wasn’t the best one for Eggsy. He was being selfish, and it was hard for him to accept it.

“You’re overthinking again, you bastard,” Eggsy breathed out, starting to adjust to Harry’s subtle tells. That and, for some reason he had the faint feeling that he could  feel Harry. It was a similar feeling to what he had felt when Harry had fed from him, only it was much fainter. He kissed him again, this time swiping his tongue across Harry’s lower lip for good measure. 

Harry sighed happily, cradling Eggsy’s cheek before tilting his head back to deepen the kiss, forcing Eggsy to hold onto his wrists as he shifted their balance. 

“I am still here,” Merlin all but whined, covering his eyes with a hand before he could be scarred with any more nudity.

“That’s your own fault,” Harry snapped, but he obediently pulled away, his eyes roaming down Eggsy’s naked chest. He licked his lips unconsciously as he enjoyed the view. While he had seen Eggsy’s trim form yesterday, he looked even better today after feeding. He looked rejuvenated, positively glowing, the lines on his body even more defined if that was even possible.

While Eggsy’s shoulders were not as broad as Harry’s own, his forearms were considerably more bulky than Harry’s own, and his pale hips, wider than Harry’s, ran down to meet a frankly jaw dropping ass which was currently peeking out from underneath the covers which Harry had pulled in his quest to taste more from Eggsy’s lips. 

Harry dropped one of his hands to Eggsy’s left hip, squeezing hard before running said hand down to brush the young man’s ass before gently placing his hand on Eggsy’s hip. Eggsy shivered against him and Harry smiled, feeling more daring than he had in years. He nipped at Eggsy’s bottom lip again, suppressing the need to bare his canines, before saying “You should get dressed. I’m not letting you leave like that.” 

Eggsy wiggled his brows, a laugh escaping him. “Why? Afraid people might take a peek?”

Harry tightened his grip, his eyes growing dead serious. “You should know this by now, Eggsy:  _ I do not share _ .” 

“He’s not kidding lad. He’ll probably rip out their eyes if someone so much as looks at you funny,” Merlin said in an accusatory tone. 

And yeah if the way Harry had reacted way back when they had met the human at the dingy disco where the man’s girlfriend had decided to get a little too friendly with Eggsy was any reference, then the man was definitely on the deep end of possessive. Eggsy shivered slightly, the thought turning him on more than it was probably healthy. He had never been one to go for the jealous or possessive types. More often than not, stuff like that annoyed him. He was no one's property, and, honestly, he didn't need someone to defend his honor. 

However, Harry seemed to be an exception for him in more ways than one. He didn't know if it was a vampire thing or an Omega thing or what, but the thought of Harry getting all angry and possessive in his alpha male fashion made Eggsy salivate with want. It made him want to test Harry's limits. How much did he have to push to see Harry snap? How far would the man go to mark what was rightfully his? Would he kill the competition? Would he grab Eggsy by the waist and reel him in? Would he fuck Eggsy in front of them, just to show them how badly Eggsy belonged to him? 

Eggsy whined low in his throat as the thoughts made him more than a little hot and bothered. He surged up against Harry, all rational thoughts flying out the window as he pressed his front against Harry, letting the silky sheets fall to the side. Harry groaned softly, clearly thrown off guard, before he pressed Eggsy closer, fisting one hand in Eggsy’s luscious hair. 

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Merlin grumbled as he got up and turned away, opening the bedroom door. “You're acting like two horny teenagers. Get ahold of yourselves. We have things to do.” 

Harry sighed but pulled Eggsy away once he felt the younger man starting to harden. He couldn't believe Eggsy was being this shameless, particularly when in company. He hadn't expected Eggsy to be this openly wanton. It felt, in a way, a little bit like when he had had his first heat. 

Harry suddenly froze. “Eggsy… are you… feeling alright?” He asked, unsure how else to ask his question.

Eggsy frowned at him, still feeling a little dizzy with pleasre. “What?”

Harry shook his head, allaying his own fears. “Nothing, nevermind, darling. Let’s get you ready. Merlin if you would be so kind as to wait outside.” 

“You’re waiting with me,” the man said sharply, still not looking at them as he knew Eggsy was still very much fucking naked. “Otherwise we’re not getting anything done today.” 

Harry sighed, but nodded, moving away then, thanking heavens for his iron will. It probably wasn’t the best idea to leave him alone with Eggsy now, not when he could touch now. Eggsy grabbed onto his hand, still feeling unwilling to let go, before saying “Wait, I… I can’t get dressed. I don’t have my clothes here.” 

Before Harry could say anything, Merlin was gone and back in a flash, throwing Eggsy’s clothes on the bed without looking. “There, problem solved. Get dressed,” he said in clipped tones, ready to haul Harry out of the room if he had to. 

“You’re such a twat, brother darling,” Harry said, unable to keep a smile off his face as he walked back to his own closet. He picked out a fresh waistcoat and a new jacket, as the other one had basically burned away when Eggsy had unleashed his fire in the alcoves. He fixed his waistcoat without looking back at his lover, meticulously doing the buttons of his waistcoat, smiling when he heard Eggsy sigh. 

Once he was presentable, he approached the bed again, kissing the top of Eggsy’s head, marvelling at the fact that not only he could now do this but Eggsy  _ enjoyed it _ . “Later,” he said in a sultry tone, his voice holding a million promises that only made Eggsy shudder again. 

He watched Harry go out with Merlin, feeling a pang of sadness at the sudden emptiness. He shook his head, wanting to slap himself. He had no idea what the hell was going on with him. All he knew is that he wanted Harry  _ here _ , next to him, kissing him. Hell, he would content himself with a cuddle at this point. But no, the man was the bleeding king, and so had responsibilities, and, fuck Why was he feeling so needy today?

Eggsy sighed and hauled himself up, picking through the options of clothes Merlin had brought him. He noticed with a smile that the man had brought colors that complimented Harry’s usually grey or black clothing. He was a pain in the ass, but oh, how he loved Merlin - attentive to the last detail. 

Eggsy put on his clothes quickly, grimacing when he began buttoning his shirt. His skin still felt… off, like he was still on fire. His clothes, while silk soft, felt constricting and rough against his sensitive skin. He looked at himself in the mirror, making sure that he was not actually on fire again because  _ fuck _ did it feel wrong to have clothes on right now. He really hoped this wasn’t a constant side effect every time he used his powers. Otherwise life was going to suck. He felt like he was being swaddled by a straight jacket. 

He put on his jacket, his breath leaving him in a rush as the extra layer of clothes actually stung when he put it on. Yeah, no, this shit wasn’t going to work out. He leaned against the dresser, keeping any sounds in to avoid alarming the two men currently waiting outside for him. He squared his jaw, and stood up straight, as if preparing for battle.

He could do this. If he could resist screaming when put literally under the burning sun then he could sure as hell stand wearing clothes for the rest of the day. 

He walked out of the room, stiffly and slowly but he walked nonetheless, giving Harry a soft smile as he came to stand next to him. “Alright, I’m ready,” Eggsy said, giving Merlin a wink. 

Merlin smiled kindly. “Looking good, Eggsy,” He said, complementing Eggsy’s - frankly good - choice of clothes. 

“Feeling Good, Merlin,” Eggsy said, lying through his teeth, as he fixed his cuff links before putting his hands in his pockets. “So, what exactly do we hafta do?” Eggsy said as he followed the two men as they began walking out of Harry’s rooms. 

“Well, we were just attacked,” Merlin noted in a teasing tone, as if the answer was obvious. 

“I need to speak with Kay. As my head of security, he and I need to decide what security protocols we’ll be activating. He also captured one of the vampires that came to the royal wing, and they’ve been questioning him, so he’ll have to report to me on that.” 

Eggsy nodded, sighing internally. This was going to take forever, he could already feel it. Eggsy suddenly froze. “Oh my god, Kay’s going to kill me.” 

Harry frowned. “What makes you think that?” 

“I pushed him down the stairs when we were attacked,  _ and  _ I’ve been out of it for a whole day. I’ve missed patrol Harry,” Eggsy bristled, as if it was obvious. 

Harry raised a brow at Eggsy, looking unimpressed. “Eggsy, by pushing him down the stairs, you saved his life. I doubt he’ll be angry about that. As for you patrolling, he’s not sadistic. You were injured. He wouldn’t have expected you to be there. Besides, as my soon to be mate, I’m afraid you won’t be serving as a Kingsman anymore.” 

Eggsy gaped at Harry looking genuinely crestfallen. “What?” 

“As the royal consort, you won’t be answering to Kay anymore, Eggsy. He’ll be answering to  _ you,”  _ Harry explained, stepping closer to cradle Eggsy’s cheek. “Kingsman was created to serve and protect the royal house. If you belong to the royal house, then you can’t be part of Kingsman, not as an agent anyway.” Harry gave him an apologetic look. “You can help Merlin, if you wish. He’s in charge of all of Kingsman’s logistics or, if you prefer, it’s not too late to call this off,” Harry offered as he motioned between them, as selfless as always. “Like I said before, being part of the royal family is a burden that will only get bigger and bigger as the years go on and more responsibilities fall upon you.  _ You don’t have to do this, Eggsy.” _

Eggsy stepped closer, glaring at Harry. “Stop tryin’ to push me away, Harry,” he snapped. Grabbing Harry by the lapels of his suit. “I am fucking in love with you, so get that through that fucking thick head of yours.” 

Harry covered Eggsy’s hands with his own, giving him a soft peck before saying “I am not doubting your love Eggsy, but sometimes love is not enough,” he stressed. “I can guarantee you power, but I cannot guarantee that you will ever be happy. And this… mating… Eggsy it’s forever. If you bind yourself to me, you will never be able to walk away. By our law, you are bound to me as your mate and your king, and by nature, the bond will keep you by my side.” Harry pressed his head against Eggsy’s. “Please just…  _ consider your options, _ okay? I would not feel insulted if you say no to… well, to us.” Harry gave him a small, self deprecating smile. “I’d much rather know you made the right choice, than have you be unhappy for the next thousand years.” 

“I’m not going to change my mind,” Eggsy repeated, starting to sound genuinely angry. “Look, yeah life might suck sometimes if I stick with you, so what? Life ain’t perfect Harry. I’m okay with that. If you’re there with me, I’ll be alright. So  _ stop fuckin’ about.”  _

Harry shook his head, a part of him still unwilling to give in, for both their sakes. He grabbed Eggsy by the hand, and pulled him softly, effectively ending the conversation. “Come on, I can’t delay these meetings any longer,” Harry said, clearing his throat as they resumed their walk, Merlin’s presence the only thing making this slightly less awkward. 

Harry let go of Eggsy’s hand once they walked into the throne room, giving a curt nod to the people already in the room. Eggsy knew Percival and Kay, of course, but he glanced curiously at the other two men and the one woman standing in a small circle, below the stairs that led to the throne. They all turned to look at the King, responding with matching bows, none of them missing the proximity between Harry and Eggsy, nor their previously linked hands. 

Harry sat primly on his throne, feeling inhumanly aware of Eggsy coming to stand behind the throne with Merlin, as he turned to look back at the small group of people - all of whom were regarding Eggsy with different levels of curiosity. . “Ladies and Gentlemen,” he said, calling the attention back to himself. “Shall we?” 

The first to speak up was the oldest looking one in the group, who also happened to be the poshest looking, in Eggsy’s opinion. “My lord… pardon my boldness, but I must ask why an exile of the metus clan is present,” the man said, keeping his eyes trained on Harry as opposed to Percival. 

“He is here as a personal favor to me - despite it being a risk to his safety,” Harry said, his words biting and his eyes angry. “So I will ask you, Lord Arden, to be most welcoming to my guest. Whatever his standing might be with the Metus clan, it bears no consequence in my home - not under the current circumstances.” 

The man clenched his teeth but did not argue with his king, instead saying “of course, my lord.”

Harry sighed, almost as if able to hear the insults the man no doubt wanted to throw at him. Arden, who by virtue of his age was now the head of the nobility, had always been particularly friendly with Chester, so this probably felt like a personal insult to the man.

“We were able to get new food supplies quickly solely because of Percival’s help. So, instead of sulking, I would suggest you thank him,” Harry said sweetly, resting his chin on his crossed hands. “Despite his differences with his clan, he has shown to be nothing but a friend to the triad. And while I will not disrespect Chester by reinstituting one of his former subjects, I will  _ not  _ participate in his witch hunts. Do I make myself clear?”  

“Crystal clear, my lord,” the man said, still looking angry, but not quite as feisty anymore. 

“Good, then let’s move on.” Harry turned to face Kay. “What did you find?” 

“We have finished our internal investigation,” he informed Harry, looking as calm as always. “We found no inconsistencies in our clan, nor have we found anything in Valentine’s clan just yet. I talked to the Queen, and she has agreed to discretely help us in our search.” 

Harry nodded, a weight falling off his shoulders. At least, he now knew the traitor wasn’t amongst his own. It wasn’t anyone close to him. He could breathe in the knowledge that, whoever it was that he would have to kill, their death would not be a blow to Harry’s heart. 

“So are we to assume they come from the Metus clan?” the woman said, her eyes sharp and deadly. 

“Most probably,” Kay said with a sigh. “Their activities are a little harder to check on as they’ve always been the most secretive clan of the three. We’ve still got quite a bit of ground to cover with them, and we have not started truly looking into our outliers.” 

“Shouldn’t those be the ones we search first?” The second man Eggsy did not recognize asked, giving Kay a hard look. 

“They are the ones we have the least information on, as they keep their connections with the clans light, so it’s much harder to get a full report unless I send out the full cavalry, and I am not in a position to do that at the moment,” Kay bit out, giving the younger looking man a long suffering look. “If you haven’t noticed, Hector, we have been on high alert since we found out we were betrayed from the inside.” 

“If we do not find the culprit, then our efforts to defend the castle will be useless,” the man argued, a deep frown set on his face. “We have no idea how long the humans have been working with this noble, or if there is just one or multiple nobles with them. We-”

“Stating the obvious does not help, Hector,” the woman said with a sigh. “Kay’s got a point. The safety of the castle comes first. Besides, we’ve sent half of kingsman to defend the citadels and towns as well.” 

Hector rolled his eyes. “I have already doubled the guard there. Like I said last time, we do not need that many Kinsgman down there. If anything fortify the castle and send a few to investigate. We’re wasting time.”

“Well, considering Eggsy’s awakened ability, perhaps we-”

Eggsy’s eyes snapped to Kay then, switching his weight from one foot to the other, half holding his breath. In truth, he hadn’t been paying attention to everything they had been saying. While he had hoped the sensitivity would dial down, by now, it only seemed to be getting worse with each passing minute. His skin felt on fire, and he was feeling more and more dizzy by the second, but he forced himself to pay attention now that his name had been thrown into the fray.

“No,” Harry said immediately, his commanding tone leaving no room for arguments. “He has not learnt how to control his powers yet. I am not letting you near his powers until we know he has them under control.” 

Eggsy held back a whine at Harry’s harsh voice, his authority almost enough to send Eggsy to his knees. And  _ oh fucking shit this definitely wasn’t a side effect of his powers.  _ He knew this feeling. He had experienced this once before. One single excruciating time that had left him in a reeling mess for three days straight. 

_ He was going into heat. _

“Harry,” Eggsy bit out, unsure as to why this time it was coming on much more slowly than last time, but also thankful that he still had enough brain cells to warn Harry that he needed to get the hell out of here. 

Before the man could answer, and before Eggsy could even make a conscious decision, he walked over the man and dropped to his knees in between Harry’s legs, pressing his head against Harry’s thigh. Harry inhaled sharply, at first looking a little stunned by Eggsy’s little display before a glint of understanding lit his eyes, his fears from this morning return in full. 

He brought his hand down and pressed it against the side of Eggsy’s neck, right on the gland, and squeezed once. Eggsy gasped, feeling a zing of electricity run through his entire body at Harry’s touch. He bit back a moan, but sagged against Harry’s hand, looking up at the man with pleading eyes. 

“Merlin… when was Eggsy’s last heat?” Harry asked in a low tone, a tremble in his voice. 

“A few weeks ago,” Merlin said as he stepped forward, placing himself in front of the king, to shield Eggsy from view. 

“Then why-”

“Didn't you say you gave him your blood yesterday?” Percival said, speaking for the first time in front of the insufferable assholes that belonged in Harry’s council - well and Gazelle’s representative. “Harry, you triggered his fucking heat," he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

“I didn’t know you could do that,” Merlin said, sounding genuinely surprised. 

Percival just rolled his eyes. “Everyone can do that, you fucking twats. Have none of you picked up a damn omega biology book?” He growled, looking at everyone in the room who looked more and more uncomfortable by the second as the smell of Eggsy’s heat finally broke through. “An unmated omega’s heat can be triggered by the heavy exchange of bodily fluids - such as blood - if it finds its biological match. Jesus, Harry, how did you not know this?” 

“Well I am not an omega, am I?” The man snapped, his eyes wild as he tried his best not to breathe in Eggsy’s scent. “It was never a priority for me to learn more than the important points of the mating ritual, considering  _ I did not know I actually had a match.”  _

_ “ _ Harry,” Eggsy whined again, clinging to the man’s pants as a wave of painful need racked his body. 

The man growled, deep in his throat as his instincts threatened to overwhelm him. “Just a moment longer, my love,” he said, placing his hand once again on Eggsy’s neck. “I need to finish this meeting.” 

“You can’t possibly be serious,” Percival said, scandalized. 

“If he’s in a heat, and he decides to spend it with me, then I will be unavailable for three days, Percival. We cannot wait three days,” Harry bit out, looking like he was in pain. 

“This might take  _ hours _ , Harry. You can’t make him wait that long, you fucking sadist,” Percival seethed. “And I don’t know if you haven’t realized, but there’s  _ two unmated alphas in this room apart from yourself,”  _ he said, taking one step closer to show his dilated pupils. “And I don’t know about your control Harry, but I know I can’t do this for another hour.” 

That was enough to snap Harry’s strained control. He roared, a dark sound coming from deep within him as he hauled Eggsy to his lap, baring his long fangs. “ _Get out_ ,” he seethed, not looking at anyone in particular. 

Everyone was quick to obey, except Merlin who remained unmoved, as still as a stone pillar. He turned around to face his brother slowly, his eyes softening when he saw Eggsy burying his nose in Harry’s neck, trying to soothe himself by drinking in Harry’s smell. “What are you going to do, Harry?” Merlin asked, keeping his tone light for the last thing he wanted was for Harry to feel threatened.

The man frowned, clearly Eggsy’s smell starting to get the better of him. “What do you mean?”

Merlin pointed with his head towards Eggsy, his eyes dead serious. “This is your last chance to let him back out,” he said, taking a step closer. “Will you be spending his heat with him or not?” 

Harry looked down at the young vampire sprawled on his lap, making small needy noises in the back of his throat, and swallowed hard. Merlin was, as usual, absolutely right. If he spent Eggsy’s heat with him, then that would be it. The bond would be cemented and strengthened, binding them together for eternity. If he mated Eggsy know, the boy would be his, and his alone. But if he didn’t mate him… if he didn’t mate him then Eggsy would take it as the terrible rejection that it was and he would likely never forgive Harry.  

Harry cradled Eggsy’s face, forcing the fledgling to look at him in the eye. He could see the beginnings of the hazy craze that overcame them when in heat in Eggsy’s eyes, but there too he could still see the absolute trust Eggsy had placed on him. He could see Eggsy’s heart in his very hands as he pushed it into Harry’s own, trusting that the man would safeguard his heart as carefully as Eggsy himself had for years. 

He could not say no to the young man, consequences be damned. 

“Harry,” Eggsy whined again, for the third time, a hint of fear in his eyes - a fear of being rejected. It wasn’t natural for an Alpha to hold out this long, they both knew it, and the omega in him was starting to become restless. Harry leaned down and kissed Eggsy softly, his kiss begging for a few more moments. 

Harry stood up, Eggsy safely cradled in his arms, bridal style. He looked back at Merlin, his eyes resolute. “Hamish Merlin Ambrosius, of house Hart, I hereby declare you Regent of the Sanguis clan. You will serve in my stead until I am able to return to my post.”

Merlin gave his brother a warm smile, clearly happy with the man’s decision. He gave Harry a small bow, and said “Your wish is my command, Your Highness. We’ll await for your return with baited breath,” he teased stepping to the side to let Harry through. 

He shook his head fondly as Harry sped out of the room, leaving Merlin alone in the throne room. “Very well, let’s resume the meeting, shall we?” He announced loud and clear, knowing that the five people Harry had convened were still within ear range, all too nosy for their own good.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter was supposed to be longer but then I realized the second part would take too long so I'm saving the smut for the next one (spolier?) 
> 
> Anywayyyyy, I hope you enjoyed it!


	29. A Bond for The Ages

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're so hypnotizing  
> Could you be the devil, could you be an angel  
> Your touch magnetizing  
> Feels like I'm floating, leaves my body glowing...
> 
> Kiss me, k-k-kiss me  
> Infect me with your love, and fill me with your poison  
> Take me, t-t-take me  
> Wanna be your victim, ready for abduction  
> Boy, you're an alien, your touch so foreign  
> Its supernatural, extraterrestrial
> 
> There is this transcendental, on another level  
> Boy, you're my lucky star  
> I wanna walk on your wave length  
> And be there when you vibrate  
> For you I risk it all, all

If Harry had thought the boy could wait until they got back to their room, then he had clearly been wrong. While this time it was clear Eggsy's heat was not coming on as quickly and as painfully as the usual first heats did, this was still just his second heat so his control was slim to none. 

Eggsy began placing desperate kisses up and down Harry's jaw and neck, wanting nothing more than to just bury himself in the protective smell emanating from his soon to be mate. He worried the skin caught in between his front teeth, sucking expertly. Harry growled as the boy teased his gland, waning his restraint and making Eggsy shiver with desire.

Harry all but kicked the door to his room open once they got there, whirling them around as he let Eggsy back on his feet. He pressed the boy hard against the door, needing to use no more than a touch since Eggsy clearly had not been ready to stand on his own two feet. 

Eggsy let out a strangled breath as Harry bracketed him again, one hand next to his head against the wall and the other wrapped tightly around Eggsy’s hip to keep him upright. Harry bent down and captured the young man's lips, eliciting a soft sigh from Eggsy. Eggsy wrapped his arm around Harry's neck, coming up to his tiptoes when Harry straightened up. Eggsy whined again, dimly aware that in this position Harry was in complete control as to keep his balance he depended on Harry's tight hold. 

Eggsy pressed himself closer, desperately looking for some friction to relieve the building urge in his body. Harry allowed Eggsy to rut against him once, twice, before easily pushing Eggsy back by the hip. Before Eggsy could protest, however, the man leaned in, placing one knee in between Eggsy's legs for the boy to use. 

“Harry, I-” Eggsy started, his words dying in his throat as the first wave of slick pushed through, quickly soaking his underwear.

“Fuck,” Harry breathed out as if in pain, the scent of Eggsy’s slick hitting him like a ton of bricks. He unbuttoned the boy’s crisp shirt in seconds, buttons popping out of their seams by the end when his already thin patience ran out - much to Eggsy’s delight.

Once he opened Eggsy's shirt he pushed down the young man's jacket, the top catching against Eggsy's golden cufflinks, effectively trapping his arms behind his back. Logically, Eggsy knew he had the strength to break out of the hold, but there was something heady about letting Harry take complete control, especially when Eggsy felt so out of control. It was almost comforting to know someone else who clearly knew what he was doing would be the one to give Eggsy what he needed.  

Eggsy's breath caught in his throat when Harry walked a few steps back to admire his handiwork, a playful yet heated smile on his lips. “So beautiful,” he said before coming closer to run a hand up and down Eggsy's chest, his fingers catching on Eggsy's nipples. “And all  _ mine _ .” 

Eggsy squirmed, the sensitivity making Harry's touch feel like fire on his skin. Harry watched Eggsy's face closely, looking mesmerized as he noticed how much the young man reacted to having his nipples brushed. He leaned down and planted soft kisses on Eggsy’s cheeks, on the tip of his nose. He bit Eggsy's chin softly, before making his way down, sucking at the gland on Eggsy's neck with careful, precise strokes of his tongue to drive Eggsy mad without actually breaking the skin. 

Eggsy's head lolled backwards, feeling his conscious start to break to give way to his carnal Omega side. This was, so far, the biggest difference he had felt between his human past and his new vampiric make up. Primal needs were stronger, his senses were always in overdrive and his nature trumped rational thought. 

Harry leaned down even lower and brought a hard, pink nipple into his mouth, sucking on it softly before releasing it to blow on it. Eggsy gasped, shivering with want as the slippery sensation travelled all the way down to his cock. He clenched his hands, unable to do much more than just feel as Harry all but unraveled him. The man repeated his actions over and over, alternating between both of Eggsy’s peaking nipples until the boy had all but melted into the door. 

Eggsy’s eyes shot open when he felt Harry pull away completely, stepping back both to watch Eggsy and to begin easing his tie. This, however, was un-fucking-acceptable because it meant he wasn't touching Eggsy and Eggsy felt like he was seconds from burning if Harry didn't  _ hurry the fuck up.  _

He pulled at his contraptions, sneering when they didn't give way immediately. He needed them gone. He couldn’t wait any longer. He needed to touch Harry,  _ now.  _ His sneer turned to a surprised gasp when he felt the fabric burn away with alarming speed. He hadn't even realized his skin was on actual fire. He hadn’t even realized his powers had come into play at all. 

Harry seemed slightly taken aback as well, for his eyes widened slightly before his dark dilated eyes turned bright red. He stepped forward, his features calm, and waved his hand, the room crackling with energy as he used the same technique he had used when Eggsy had lost control. He pulled on the bond and clamped down on Eggsy’s blood, halting the flow of the power drumming through Eggsy’s veins with but a snap of his fingers. 

Harry stepped forward as soon as he released Eggsy from his hold, his arms ready to catch the shocked boy. “I’m sorry,” Harry was quick to say, his conscious mind very much returned to its rightful place. “I don’t generally use my powers to be so invasive. I-”

Eggsy shook his head, caressing Harry’s cheek. “The fuck are you apologizing for? I was the one that just… fucking lost it.” Eggsy bit his lip, worry in his eye. “Harry I don’t wanna hurt you.” 

That earned him a genuine laugh from Harry who, with another wave of his hand, had Eggsy’s body flying towards the bed, leaving the still hard boy spread open and half naked on the bed. “Trust me, Eggsy. You don’t have the power to hurt me,” Harry said, voice low and lethal as he began stalking the bed, the image of Eggsy sprawled on his bed enough to get his head back in the game. 

Eggsy licked his lips, feeling another wave of slick pour out of him at Harry’s delicious manhandling. This was the first time he saw Harry use his powers in front of Eggsy, and while he knew logically he probably should be afraid and needed to make sure the man was in complete control, he couldn’t be arsed to care. He wanted to see more; he wanted to see all of it. It was a rare treat to see Harry toeing that delicious line between his tight control and his raging desires. He also wanted to understand why it was that Harry wanted him to be so afraid. 

All thoughts of Harry’s powers were quickly discarded, however, once the man climbed on top of the bed. He reached down and swiftly undid the buttons of Eggsy’s trousers, pulling at them with deft fingers. They were off him - alongside his pants - faster than he could blink, and Harry took his time just watching Eggsy’s figure with appreciative eyes. He stayed there looking at Eggsy, sitting on his knees, as he slowly undid the buttons of his waistcoat and the two top buttons of his shirt. Eggsy licked his lips, unabashed.

He surged up as soon as he could take a good enough peek at Harry’s collarbone, feeling like he would explode if he didn’t get to touch a little bit of the man’s skin. He kissed his way down Harry’s throat like it was the greatest gift Eggsy had ever been given. Before he could make Harry take off the waistcoat and shirt or, even better, unbuckle his pants, he was thrown back on the bed, landing softly on his back.

Harry smiled at him, dragging both of Eggsy’s hands up before pinning Eggsy’s wrists with a single palm. Eggsy squirmed, straining against his lover’s hold to reach those tantalizing lips of his without much success. Harry placed small pecks on Eggsy’s wanton lips. Eggsy gasped unconsciously, giving Harry ample opportunity to lick into his mouth, before gently biting Eggsy's lower lip, repeating this over and over until Eggsy was sure he was going to turn into putty just from simple sensory overload. 

Eggsy clutched at the man’s biceps as soon as Harry took pity on him and finally let go of Eggsy’s wrists. Eggsy growled, the sound desperate even to his own ears as his need to touch was hindered by fucking fabric of all things. “You’re wearing too much clothing.  _ Get. it. Off _ ,” Eggsy seethed, pawing frustratedly at Harry’s mostly covered body.

Harry huffed out a breathless laugh but complied, removing himself momentarily - much to Eggsy’s displeasure - to be able to stand and take his clothes off. He took off his waistcoat and took off his immaculate shoes and socks, for a brief second considering folding the waistcoat before a warning growl coming from his increasingly needy omega made him change his mind. He dropped everything in his hands to the ground, knowing it was the right choice when Eggsy's pheromones shot up in yet another wave. 

Harry smiled, a devious idea lodging in his head as Eggsy’s impatience egged him on. Harry took off his cufflinks and put them on the dresser, slowly rolling up his sleeves to his elbows. He got back on the bed then, smiling at the frustration he could see in Eggsy’s eyes. “Patience is a virtue,” he said, slightly breathless, thanking heavens that he had had so many years to sharpen his control, for he wouldn’t be able to be this cheeky had his control been any lesser, not with the way Eggsy’s body was calling to him. 

Eggsy let out a frustrated growl, but did not say more, instead surging up to kiss Harry, sneaking his hands down to tug at the man’s belt. Harry stopped him as soon as Eggsy undid the belt, however, breaking the kiss to give Eggsy a heated look. 

“You will not get my knot until I tell you so,” Harry said, his voice leaving no room for arguments as he pushed Eggsy back down on the bed, spreading the young man’s legs with his capable hands. He moved down the bed, circling Eggsy’s entrance with his thumb.

Eggsy gasped, his back arching indecently when Harry began teasing him, blushing as more liquid came out of him, as if begging for Harry to fuck him properly. Harry groaned, his perfect composure taking another blow due to the mouthwatering sight in front of him. 

“Fuck me, Harry,” Eggsy breathed out, not even sure whether it was a request, a command, or just an expletive. 

Harry smiled, seemingly taking it as a request for he said “if I fucked you now, you wouldn’t be able to take me. Your body isn’t ready yet. Your heat is just starting.” 

“Fuck you,” Eggsy bit out in frustration, his words turning into a moan when Harry finally plunged one finger inside him. 

“Patience, darling,” Harry said sweetly, curving one finger just so. He added a second finger before leaning down to wrap Eggsy’s cock with his lips, smiling around the young man’s throbbing member at the howl Eggsy let out. 

Harry continued his ministrations without a hint of mercy, his sucks and licks working in tandem to his skilled fingers. Eggsy soon turned into an incoherent mess, his body caught between wanting to thrust up into the welcoming heat of Harry’s mouth and grinding down onto the man’s unwavering fingers. It was sweet torture, driving him closer and closer to the edge. He moaned unabashedly, the heat making the whole experience far too intense. On a regular day, this would have served to bring Eggsy pleasantly close, but as it was, he was losing control far too quickly. 

“Harry, wait, stop. I’m going to come if you don’t stop,” Eggsy said suddenly, desperately, feeling his body go from stupidly aroused to ready to go off the cliff faster than a freight train. “Harry!” Eggsy warned again, his head hitting the pillows hard when Harry, instead of stopping, only redoubled his efforts, taking Eggsy all the way to the hilt without any apparent gag reflex. 

“Fuck!” Eggsy screamed as his vision whited out, Harry’s fingers against his prostate delivering the final blow to his thin control. He whined as Harry swallowed, his overheated body thrumming with pleasure as Harry finally pulled away. “No, I wanted you inside me,” Eggsy complained, feeling both satiated and yet still craving Harry like there was no tomorrow. 

Harry chuckled, biting Eggsy’s lower lip before saying “You’re in heat darling… that was just the  entrée. ”

Before Eggsy could say anything else Harry kissed him again, seemingly even more ravenous than the younger man. Eggsy opened his mouth easily, squirming as more slick came out, reminding him that no, Harry had not fucked him yet. He whined, again, and brought his hand down, pressing the heel of his hand against Harry’s erection, something inside him preening as the man grinded against his hand. 

“Clothes… fuck, clothes,” Eggsy said, knowing he probably needed to say a bit more than that to explain that he needed Harry to take  _ off _ his fucking clothes, but finding that his body was not really complying with his commands as his mind fought a losing battle against the overpowering control of the heat. 

He could already feel himself slipping away as the need to be filled, to be subdued, to be mated became too strong to resist. “Harry,” he begged, not sure what he was begging for, but hoping Harry did. 

The man pulled away then, resting on his knees as he looked down at Eggsy. He licked his lips slowly, his canines coming out to play at the sight of Eggsy’s puffy red lips. The boy looked utterly debauched and the beast inside him preened at the fact that it had been  _ him  _ that had made Eggsy end up in such a state. “You gorgeous creature,” he praised before heaving himself up to peel his shirt off, quickly followed by his now rumpled suit pants. 

Eggsy reached out, his fingers hesitant for a second, before he grabbed ahold of Harry’s silky waistband and yanked it down, letting Harry quickly discard it to the floor. The young man sat back and licked his lips, feeling himself harden again as he looked at Harry in all his naked glory with unabashed eyes - and damn how the hell was he hard again? 

He wasn’t sure if his heat was a blessing or a curse. He felt both wrung out and needy for more.He didn't even care that he was salivating at the sight, his inhibitions far too low for something like that to make a dent at the moment. 

Eggsy reached out to touch Harry's throbbing member, running his thumb over the head. Harry hissed at that, unable to hold back a thrust as Eggsy tightened his hold, looking at Harry with mesmerized, glazy eyes. “Fuckin’ hell, Harry, it looks bigger than it did last time,” he slurred after a few seconds, a hint of genuine fear in his voice. 

Harry smiled, preening, before leaning down to capture Eggsy’s lips. He batted the young man’s hand away, pinning Eggsy to the bed with his weight as he spread the boy’s legs open, putting one leg around his waist and one over his shoulder. 

“It’s the knot,” he replied after what felt like an eternity as he lined up to finally,  _ finally,  _ give Eggsy what he wanted. 

Before Eggsy could ask what that was, or even if it was safe for them to have sex if Harry was indeed bigger, Harry suddenly pushed in and Eggsy’s need suddenly grew tenfold as his brain blessedly went offline.  

The omega side of his brain finally unleashed itself in all its strength, drowning out all sensible thought as Eggsy shuddered in Harry’s arms, back arched and mouth wide open. Harry didn’t seem to be doing much better, for his eyes were shining red again, his chest rumbling with a barely contained growl. He dug his fingers deep into Eggsy’s hips, snapping his hips forward as he went deeper and deeper, only stopping when fe felt himself almost fully seated. 

Eggsy whined, feeling too full for comfort. He trashed against Harry, his body working overtime to make room for Harry’s knot. Eggsy’s squirming only served to push Harry deeper into him, eliciting a choked noise from Harry who looked so utterly debauched it made Eggsy see stars. Harry brought Eggsy closer, kissing him to distract him as the young man’s body adjusted to the intrusion. Eggsy ran his hands through Harry’s hair,leaving it messy, before his hands flew down to Harry’s back, digging deep as Harry began to move excruciatingly slowly. 

“Harder,” Eggsy pleaded after what felt like hours of Harry barely moving, teasing Eggsy with the promise of what was to come. It was strange, to feel such a need to be filled despite the fact he was aware there was no way more of Harry could fit in.

Except, apparently, there was, for Harry complied all too happily, drawing himself up on his elbows as he began to move in earnest, his eyes shining impossibly brighter. Eggsy yelped as every push hit against his prostrate, feeling himself split open as Harry continued to roll his hips in tandem to Eggsy’s harsh pants.

“My beautiful omega,” Harry whispered as he leaned down, not even grimacing when Eggsy’s sharp nails rip into his skin due to how hard the young man was clinging on.

Eggys moaned at the endearment, feeling the fire build up again inside of him. He bared his neck on instinct once he felt himself toeing the edge again. Harry moaned at the sight, bringing Eggsy up to suck at his neck without breaking the skin yet. Still, the feel of Harry sucking at his glans was enough to spark a fire within Eggsy, making his eyes turn fiery red as his powers built. How the entire bed wasn’t burning, Eggsy didn’t know, but he had the suspicion that it had to do with the fact that Harry’s powers also seemed to be awake, even if he couldn’t see any other visible change other than the color of Harry’s eyes. 

“Harry… please… please…. I need it,” Eggsy begged, once again not sure what it was that his body so desperately wanted. It was incredibly frustrating to him, for he hadn’t been born a vampire. He didn’t know much about mating. He had no idea what to do with all these emotions and desires running through him. He felt like a sailor stranded out in the open, vicious sea. All he knew was that he needed Harry to do  _ something _ , something that would make him feel whole again. 

Harry, thankfully, seemed to be more in tune with Eggsy's body than the boy himself, bringing one hand up to Eggsy's face to move it completely to the side just as he put pressure on his hip, changing the angle as he set a brutal pace that had Eggsy rocking harshly against the bed, wringing out his pleasure thrust by thrust. 

“Fuck, Harry, I-” Eggsy didn't get to finish his sentence for Harry cut him off with a desperate growl. Eggsy forced himself to look back  despite the tight hold Harry had on his face. He saw as Harry's fangs elongated even more and the veins around his eyes darkened and popped out, making him look a lot more like the predator underneath as opposed to the genteel King he usually presented himself as. 

Eggsy had never seen Harry’s eyes look… quite this inhuman. He had seen the man feed before; hell, he had seen Harry feed from him, and while the glowing red eyes were not new, he had never seen them shine quite that bright nor had he seen the man’s veins look like that. It made him look… predatory, and, had they been in any other circumstances other than his heat, Eggsy might have asked why it was that Harry looked so different right now. 

But he was past the point of caring about… anything really. All he cared about was satiating the primal need inside him. 

His fangs elongated as well, as if mirroring Harry, and the older man smiled, drunk on Eggsy's sweet scent. He moved his hand away from Eggsy's face, bringing it back down to Eggsy's cock and, truly, the young man should have warned him, should have said something about the fact that he was so close, for the second Harry closed his hand around Eggsy's dick, the boy was gone. 

But, just as the white, hot spurts of Eggsy’s come shot out of him as his body dove headfirst into his frenzied climax, Harry leaned down and bit him. Eggsy howled in pained pleasure, feeling something inside him breaking and burning away as the man sank his teeth deeper into Eggsy. 

Eggsy panted as he dug his heels into Harry's back, feeling the bond solidifying inside of him as he came. He had thought what they had shared the night prior had been intense but he had been wrong. He had been  _ so  _ wrong.

He had had but a glimpse of Harry then. It could not compare to the sudden rush of emotions that were definitely  _ not  _ his flooding his system. There was desire and love and, surprisingly, fear - though why Eggsy could not understand.

He could feel the man’s presence in his mind, almost like if his brain was an office and he now had to share it with someone else, someone whose very presence was overpowering and overwhelming in every sense of the word. It was delicious and yet too much all at once. There was too much information to process. While he could not read the man’s thoughts, he could certainly  _ feel  _ just how fast Harry’s mind worked, how much tension ran through him even now when he was being overcome by carnal desires. 

Even more surprising, alongside that overwhelming yet warm and loving presence came another. Or, more accurately, if he looked deeper, it felt like there was more to Harry’s overwhelming yet  _ bright  _ presence inside of him. There was something dark there, something that seemed to be the root of the overwhelming, overpowering feeling that came with the bond. And yet, Eggsy couldn’t look deeper than that. Harry wouldn’t let him. 

And he had no idea how he knew it was Harry that was preventing him from opening that door, from taking a peek, but he knew as well as he knew himself that Harry wasn’t letting him see everything. And he couldn’t fight it. The man was too strong for Eggsy to sway him. All he could do was see and feel as far as Harry would let him. And, in truth, he couldn’t even complain for, as it was, it was already an awful lot to process.   

Harry released his neck then, his fangs dripping with blood. He looked down at Eggsy, not surprised to see him dazed. He kissed him softly, smearing the younger man’s lips with his own blood, before whispering. “Your turn.” 

Eggsy frowned, still struggling to gather his bearings, before something inside him clicked as Harry thrust in once more. The man hadn’t come yet, and Eggsy had not bitten him yet.

_ Oh. _

Eggsy almost sobbed when he felt himself harden again, and  _ what the fuck,  _ he was going to be so sore at the end of this damn heat if he was almost three for three and they had just started. Eggsy growled, determined to even the odds a little more as he finally grinded his hips as hard as Harry was thrusting, giving the man some much needed friction. He rode the waves of oversensitivity without even a hint of a grimace, biting and licking at Harry’s bloodied lips until something inside him compelled him to go lower to leave his own mark on the man.

He bit into Harry’s neck with a groan, feeling himself loosen up as the man thrust in three more times, each time going deeper, before he finally came with a shout. Harry shook violently atop Eggsy, his thrusts becoming slower but more erratic as he rode through his own orgasm, Eggsy’s teeth never once dislodging from his neck.  

“Eggsy,” Harry moaned, his voice surprisingly vulnerable as he gasped, the red in his eyes softening and the popped veins in his eyes easing back to normal.

Eggsy finally pulled away, peering up to look at his mate with a soft, bloody smile, surprised to find Harry looking normal again. Harry rolled them to the side, both suddenly feeling exhausted.

“How are ya still hard?” Eggsy asked as he squirmed around Harry, both wanting the man to get off and wanting the man to pound into him again.

Harry gasped. “Stop moving,” He chided, his voice almost pained. “We’re tied together for at least a half hour.” 

“ _ What?”  _ Eggsy asked scandalized as he tried to turn around. 

Harry pinned him to the bed again, bearing down on Eggsy with his weight. “Eggsy, part of the mating process is accepting the knot during a heat - hence why I seem… larger than usual. We’re literally  _ stuck  _ for a half hour at the very least so  _ stop moving. _

“Will this happen every time we fuck?” Eggsy asked curiously, surprised to feel himself so lucid. This had not been a thing last time he had been in a heat. 

“No, it only happens during your heats,” Harry explained with a sigh as he eased them back to their side again. “It will happen a few more times during the next three days.” 

“Fuck, but I feel  _ raw _ already,” Eggsy said with a moan as he ground his hips, eliciting a growl from Harry. “ _ Fuck me _ -” Eggsy said without thinking, grinding his hips a little faster now. 

Harry let out a small whimper, grabbing onto Eggsy’s hips to center him. “Darling, these are the only times during your heat where you’ll feel more in control of yourself. I don’t think it wise to waste them doing something we’ll be doing regardless for the next three days.” 

“Are you saying fucking me is a waste of time?” Eggsy asked teasingly. 

“That is not what I said and you know it,” Harry reprimanded with a sharp thrust, earning him a yelp. 

“Okay, okay, I’ll hold still,” Eggsy finally relented, burying his head in the crook of Harry’s neck, smiling happily as he noticed that Harry’s smell had begun changing; he smelled a bit like Eggsy now too. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was 10 pages of pure smut. It was not meant to be that long but OH WELL THERE YA GO


	30. Growing Pains

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We always see our worst selves. Our most vulnerable selves. We need someone else to get close enough to tell us we’re wrong. Someone we trust.”  
> ― David Levithan

Eggsy woke up with a start, feeling wrung to the bone. It reminded him a bit of his training with Percival where  the constant morning  sun had drained him of energy as his skin tried to heal the non stop burning. He remembered being told by Merlin once that vampires did not tire easily and that, if necessary, they could go without sleep for months at a time before eventually collapsing. Of course, no vampire forewent sleep unless they actually had to, most of them seeking the blessed relief of not having to exist for a few hours. 

What Merlin had failed to tell him and he had had to find out on his own, however, was that there were three main ways to drain a vampire's energy: the first was not feeding, the second was sustaining multiple injuries - particularly those from the sun - and, the arguably best way, through sex.

Well no that wasn't quite correct, regular sex wasn't tiring; heat induced sex was, because it was a non-stop assault to the senses for three days straight with little to no breaks. 

So Eggsy was, understandably, fucking  _ exhausted.  _ His heat had lasted the whole three days and it had been intense enough that, just like the first time, there were lapses in his memory when the Omega inside of him had taken full control and he had basically blacked out. 

All he could remember with absolute clarity was Harry. He could remember the man biting him, touching him, pounding into him. He had no idea how many times they had fucked in the past 3 days. He had lost track after the sixth time on the first day given that that had been a particularly rough fuck - not that he was complaining. He had very much enjoyed seeing Harry that out of control. 

Eggsy finally rolled to his back, grunting as his body protested the movement. He opened his bleary eyes then, smiling softly as he realized the room still smelled very much like sex and their now combined scents. It was intoxicating and utterly heady. 

Next to him, Harry growled weakly. “How are you still horny after all that?” Harry asked curiously, sounding as exhausted as Eggsy felt.

“'m not horny,” Eggsy half mumbled, turning to his side to face Harry.

Harry whose face was buried half in the pillows. Harry whose broad chest had not fully healed yet and so was marked with Eggsy’s love bites and his nails where he had clawed at Harry whenever he had felt too overwhelmed. Harry whose scent was the most enticing thing in the world. Harry whose red eyes were all but pinning him into the bed with their intensity. 

Ok so maybe he was a tiny bit turned on. 

The man chuckled, feeling Eggsy's moment of realization almost as strongly as he felt his own emotions. He reached over and grabbed Eggsy by the hip, bringing him closer to kiss him soundly on the lips. “Right, you’re most certainly not horny, what was I thinking?” He said drily, his fingers brushing lightly against Eggsy's hardened member.

Eggsy moaned and thrust his hips before shaking his head. “No we can't, I’m exhausted. I will die if you fuck me again right now,” he warned, though his voice sounded more like a “come on” than a warning.

Still, Harry was nothing if not a gentleman so he relented, inching away just enough to give both of them some breathing room. Harry rolled softly onto his back, closing his eyes instead of looking at the ceiling. He knew he had to get up, but a part of him didn't want to. He didn't want to break this quiet, loving peace they had created. 

And yet he knew he had to. He was the king, after all. He had been gone for three whole days directly after an attack. It would be irresponsible of him to stay away for any longer. It didn't matter that he wanted to stay and bask in their bond. It didn't matter that it was better to stay together in order to solidify it. It didn't even matter that the fears and reservations he had had before bedding Eggsy were still very much there. It wasn't like he could do anything about them. 

He didn't have present fears. He feared for their relationship in the future, and for that there was no solution.

“Harry, what's the matter?” Eggsy asked, feeling the change in the man immediately. He inched closer, hauling himself half on top Harry to look into the man's - fucking closed - eyes. “Are you regretting this?” Eggsy asked quietly, not sure whether he wanted to know the answer.

That made Harry open his eyes. “Don't be silly, Eggsy. How could I ever regret this? I love you, dear boy,” Harry assured him, tracing Eggsy's jawline with a gentle finger. 

And it was true, he didn't regret their mating. Heck, he was sure he wouldn't regret it in the future either, not even on the day that Eggsy would finally get fed up or would finally see the real monster underneath and decided to leave Harry.

Eggsy hummed, not looking entirely convinced. Harry could tell him he loved him, but he could also feel something akin to apprehension and it was making him restless. Harry sighed, bringing Eggsy down to kiss him deeply, licking into his mouth with gusto.

“I worry for our future, Eggsy, that's just simply who I am. I have seen too much in my lifetime to not worry,” Harry said as a way of explanation. “But I do love you, very much so.” 

Eggsy kissed him again, shaking his head softly. “I love you, but you're a fuckin’ idiot.” 

The man smiled softly, nodding in agreement before he grabbed Eggsy by his hips and rolled then around, trying to keep himself from squishing Eggsy with his weight. “As much as I’d like to stay and be insulted by you, I do have to start getting ready.”

Eggsy gaped, looking disillusioned as he grabbed onto Harry's neck, as if that was enough to get him to stay. “Where are you goin’?” 

“It's been three days, Eggsy. I'm afraid I can't neglect my duties any longer, especially when we might be attacked again soon,” Harry explained gently, caressing his mate’s cheek. “Believe me, there's nothing more I want that to stay here with you, but duty comes first,” Harry explained, knowing it was best to start letting Eggsy get used to it now. 

This would be something the boy would have to get used to; duty always came first, and Harry had more duties than the entirety of his kingdom combined. And Eggsy would now have to share in many of those duties, since they had mated. 

Oh dear, he needed to set up a tutor for Eggsy. He had been worried about so many other things - such as whether Eggsy would hate him for this or not - that he had all but forgotten than one didn’t simply know how to be a royal; one had to learn protocol, traditions, and about their culture. Eggsy would have to be indoctrinated into their most inner circle; he would have to become the very extension of the King. 

“Didn’t ya leave Merlin in charge? Can’t he handle it for one more day?” Eggsy asked, giving Harry a pleading look that he already knew wouldn’t work because it was obvious the man had already made up his mind and that was that. 

Harry shook his head. “Merlin might be my right hand, but he is not the king, my dear. He has his own responsibilities he has to attend to.” 

Eggsy sighed. “When will I see you again, then?”

Harry bit his lip. “I would hope to be done with the most pressing matters by dawn.” 

Eggsy gaped. “I’m not seein’ yeh until tomorrow?” Eggsy whined, feeling uncharacteristically depressed about that prospect. He had never been a co-dependent person, but damn it did he feel like Harry was asking him to exist without his soul.

Harry flipped them over again and sat up, holding onto Eggsy as the young man adjusted to the new position with him straddling the older vampire. Harry placed his hand on the bite which was still very much visible on Eggsy’s neck, before nipping at his chin. 

“I’m sorry,” Eggsy sighed, shaking his head softly. “I get why… I just… I’m sorry,” Eggsy said again, not sure how to explain his own irrational feelings. He hid his face in the crook of Harry’s neck, feeling embarrassed. 

“There’s nothing strange about this Eggsy,” Harry said easily, as he felt the change in Eggsy’s emotional state. He placed his hand under Eggsy’s chin to force the boy to look at him. “You feel this way because the bond is so new. It’s an emotional roller coaster at first. It will even out eventually, I promise you.” 

“Could I go with you?” Eggsy asked eventually, looking shyly at Harry. “I will stay quiet and won’t disturb ya, I promise. I just don’t want to be without you right now.” 

Harry smiled softly at Eggsy and nodded. “You might as well start learning about the job now. Come on, we ought to shower first before leaving.”

“Are you showering with me?” Eggsy said with a wiggle of his brows, chuckling as Harry rolled his eyes at the insinuation.

“You're incorrigible,” the man said fondly as he all but pushed Eggsy off of him to usher the fledgling into the bathroom, leading him into the pristine room by the hand. “Didn’t you say you were exhausted?”

“I’m feeling better, and that doesn't sound like a no to me,” Eggsy half breathed out as he all but climbed atop Harry, wrapping his legs firmly around the man's naked waist. He kissed the man without a trace of hesitance, holding onto the glass door that led to the shower with shaky hands.  

Harry groaned in pleasure, pushing Eggsy into the shower without seeing. He smiled when he felt the young man gasp as Harry pushed him hard against the wall, keeping him up only with a well placed leg in between Eggsy’s own. Harry then moved them again, before opening the water faucet, which elicited a yelp from the younger man as the icy cold water hit his back in full blast. 

“You bastard,” Eggsy breathed out as he shivered slightly, his body still running a lot warmer than usual as he was still coming off of his three day heat. 

Harry helped Eggsy step down to stand under the now warm water on his own two feet. “I'm afraid we don't have time for anything too imaginative,” Harry said with a sigh that held so much promise, it made Eggsy feel a little less mad and a little more excited.

“That sounds like we do 'ave time for a little something though,” Eggsy said suggestively as he turned around and wiggled his bare ass against Harry’s quickly hardening cock. 

The older vampire grunted, grabbing onto Eggsy's waist to keep his composure, his grip hard enough to bruise. “Yes, we have time to shower,” Harry said, feigning innocence despite the fact that he was all but grinding against his lover. 

“You're a right bastard,” Eggsy said again, throwing his head backwards once Harry finally wrapped a hand around his throbbing member.

Harry mouthed at Eggsy’s throat, touching Eggsy with one hand and bracing them both against the wall with the other. This was most definitely not the most efficient way to shower, not that he was complaining. It was all so new to him; to have someone to wake up to, to have someone to call his mate, to have someone to dote on… Harry had always assumed he would never have that. 

For centuries he had assumed he would either never find a suitable mate or he would simply not take one. It had always been… easier that way. Alone, he had been able to achieve greatness for his people. Alone, he had been able to focus solely on being a good monarch, on keeping his powers in check. 

And, perhaps, for someone like him, being alone truly was the best option, but having this - this beautiful creature eager and willing to love him, to be with him - it was a marvelous thing. And he hated that he loved it, that it was quickly becoming as important to him as the blood he consumed to stay alive. It was an utterly unacceptable state to be in, and yet it was so utterly  _ divine _ . 

Eggsy whined low in his throat, the noise enough to remind Harry that he had a task at hand. With a small smile, he ran one finger over the head of Eggsy’s cock and that was enough to send the boy toppling over the edge, his hands digging into Harry’s scalp as he moaned into the man’s mouth. Harry took control of the bruising kiss, almost laughing with mirth at how easy it had been to bring Eggsy over the edge. 

He had to thank the overstimulation still present from the heat for that. 

Eggsy turned around then, still riding the orgasmic haze Harry seemed to have no trouble putting him in. “Your turn,” Eggsy half slurred, reaching down with unsteady hands which Harry easily batted away.

“This wasn’t about me, darling. I’m quite alright,” Harry said, part of him not sure why the hell he was denying himself the pleasure. Perhaps it was just to prove a point to himself; he could still rise above his base nature. He could still put duty first.

Eggsy hummed unconvinced as he moved his hand low, keeping his touch light against Harry's cock. “I think your body disagrees, your Majesty,” he purred in Harry's ear, keeping himself up on his tiptoes.  

Harry chuckled. “What else is new?” Harry teased before stepping away, picking up the shampoo. “Alright darling, under the water and head back.”

Eggsy’s brows shot up, part of him still preening at the fact that Harry was using pet names to show his love. He was pretty sure he was going to get addicted to the man calling him his darling, his love, his dear, soon enough. “Are you going to bathe me?” 

“That's the general idea, yes,” Harry said drily, a brow raised as if in challenge. “Unless you want to do it yourself?”

Eggsy shook his head, promptly doing as he had been told. Eggsy waited expectantly as Harry opened the shampoo bottle and poured some of  the thick liquid out, and all but moaned when the man finally touched his hair, his fingers going straight for the roots. Harry massaged Eggsy's scalp for a few moments, letting the foam build steadily before rising Eggsy off with methodical movements, but still gentle enough to feel more like a caress than anything else.

He then picked up a navy blue loofa, and poured some liquid soap on it, smiling to himself when Eggsy purred at the first contact. Harry made sure to scrub every single inch of Eggsy’s body, paying particular attention to the young man’s chest and thighs. He kept at it for what felt like forever, pouring all of his concentration into both cleaning Eggsy and making his body relax by digging his fingers softly into the perfect pressure points to loosen the young man up.

“Fuck, yeh’s perfect, Harry,” Eggsy all but slurred, feeling like his body was jelly under Harry’s ministrations.

The man hummed, patting Eggsy on his hip once he finished to let him know it was his turn to move away from the faucet so that Harry himself could shower. Harry did not give the younger man the chance to reciprocate, for he used his blessed speed to get the job done quickly and efficiently. 

“Ya know, I would feel offended that yeh are not lettin’ me return the favor, but I’ll just suck you off tonight to make up for it,” Eggsy said with a grin, as nonchalantly as if he was telling Harry about the weather. His grin widened, however, at the small wistful sigh the man let out inadvertently. 

Harry stepped out first, passing a towel to Eggsy before grabbing one for himself. He dried himself as he went, not bothering to cover himself up as he walked into the room towards the closet. It wasn’t like someone was suddenly going to barge into his room. The only person allowed into his room was Merlin - and now, obviously, Eggsy, since it was his room too.

“We’ll have to bring your things over,” Harry said as he put on his pants and his dress shirt. 

“I didn’t really bring that much with me when I came, so there’s not much to move,” Eggsy admitted, feeling too enamoured with Harry’s physique to feel embarrassed about the fact that he had basically come with nothing.

“Well then we’ll have to change that,” Harry said simply. “You will have to go see my tailor today. He will make you a new wardrobe.”

Eggsy wrinkled his nose. “I’m guessing that wardrobe will consist of no sweatpants or, you know, jeans and normal things?”

Harry chuckled. “Well, whenever you are serving in your official duties as Royal consort, I’m afraid you’ll have to stick with pristine suits and the occasional extravagant robe, but outside of that you’re free to wear whatever you please, Eggsy. Oh, wait, that reminds me,” Harry said as he raised his finger, before moving past Eggsy out of the room. 

Eggsy gaped as he watched his mate go, feeling slightly disoriented as Harry was back mere seconds later. “You know, a little warning before you decide to just up and leave would be nice,” Eggsy said in a neutral tone, though there was real bite in his eyes. “I know yeh’re used to it ‘cause yeh have always been a vampire, but I’m still not used to… well, yeh know what I mean.”  

Harry gave him an apologetic smile and a quick peck. “Sorry, I’m just used to… I’ll try to avoid it,” Harry said in a comforting tone, before stepping closer, extending his hand to ask for Eggsy’s own.

The young man offered his hand willingly, looking confused when Harry took ahold of his right hand first and slipped off the young man’s signet ring which Harry had given him himself when Eggsy had become a Kingsman. 

“Harry?” Eggsy asked softly, not wanting to depart with his ring. He had gotten attached to it by now, if only because it signified he belonged to Harry’s clan. It gave him something to center himself on, now that he was no longer human. 

The man pocketed the ring and winked at Eggsy, before pulling a small box from his right-hand pocket, which contained a different set of rings. These ones, unlike the signet, looked more like wedding bands. They were golden rings, with a single, thick, red line running around the middle made of what seemed to be ruby. The ruby was encrusted with small onyx stones, forming a phrase Eggsy could not understand on the outside. 

All in all, it was a whole lot fancier than the one he had just been wearing, though Harry’s crest was not on the ring. His colors, however, were. 

Harry dropped Eggsy's right hand, swiftly picking up his left. Harry brought Eggsy's hands to his lips and kissed the young man's knuckles, before opening Eggsy's palm with a brush of his hand.

Eggsy watched mesmerized as Harry slipped on the ring onto his ring finger, confirming his suspicions. “Harry-” Eggsy started, but was unable to continue as both surprise and love choked him up. 

“I know we haven’t yet had a ceremony where I can finally parade you around as my new mate, but this ring will let everyone know that you are mine,” Harry said happily, unable to keep the possessiveness off his voice. 

Eggsy swallowed hard, bringing up his hand to look at the beautiful ring. “And the other one?” He asked, his voice low. “Is that to show everyone that you belong to me?” 

Harry smiled, kissing Eggsy’s temple. “Quite right,” the man said as he handed Eggsy the ring so that he could put it on Harry’s hand. 

“Harry… how can I become your anchor?” Eggsy asked suddenly, clearly throwing the older man off by the non sequitur. 

“What?” 

Eggsy bit his lip, suddenly feeling flustered. “Well, during my heat, I felt… well, I mean, I don’t want this to come off wrong, but I know you’re hiding something from me. You’re not letting me in,” Eggsy whispered, caressing Harry’s face, his ring glittering against the light in the room. 

Harry bit the inside of his cheek, immediately on the defensive. “Eggsy-”

“I get it, you’re very powerful and you’re doing it to protect me, but… if I’m going to be your husband, shouldn’t I get to see all of you? I hate that you have to keep parts of you from me. I can help you, Harry,” Eggsy insisted, not letting the matter drop even though he could tell Harry was very uncomfortable. 

“Eggsy… it takes centuries to master the ability to anchor. You started this life just a few months ago,” Harry pleaded. “Even if I wanted to train you, your body isn't ready yet.”

“But I could at least-”

“No!” Harry snapped, forcing himself to clamp down on his rising temper. 

Eggsy jumped slightly at that, not having expected his mate to be this vicious about this. A part of him, probably the Omega side, wanted him to apologise and do as he was told, but the other part of him, the real part, wanted to fight back. 

Harry sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Eggsy… anchoring always brings with it a level of danger. The danger increases based on the power you are trying to contain. There is  _ no one _ harder to contain than me. You could die, do you understand that?” Harry stepped closer, not dating to touch the fuming boy. “I am not going to lose you because of recklessness.” 

“I at least deserve to know how it works,” Eggsy bit out. “I mean what happens if you lose control, huh? Have yeh thought about that? If yeh really are as strong as yeh say, then what happens if ya lose it?” Eggsy half growled as he put a finger against Harry's chest. “Yeh 'ave a mate, now, Harry. That means just like it's your job to rule, it's my job to make sure ya don't lose your shit. That's what Merlin said, innit?” 

“Eggsy, if I’m ever forced to use my powers to the point I lose control, then you shouldn't be so worried about me “losing it” as you should be about the incoming threat that made me lose it in the first place,” Harry argued with a frown. 

Eggsy crossed his arms. “What happens after you eliminate the threat?” Eggsy asked, because he could talk about hypotheticals all he wanted, he knew for damn sure there was no one getting past Harry. That was why the man was king. 

“if I am so far gone that I begin attacking my own people then… Merlin will know what to do,” Harry said evasively. 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Eggsy balked. “Harry, are ya serious? So it's better that your fuckin’ brother is forced to kill you than I learn how to fuckin’ help yeh? Are yeh takin’ the piss, mate?”

Harry sighed. “Eggsy our contingency plan has been in place for years. Merlin has a duty to our people just like I do. If it ever happens, he will be ready. Now-”

“Fuck you, Harry Hart,” Eggsy seethed, pushing Harry against the wall. “Fuck you, if yeh think yeh can just choose things like that on yer own. I’m yer fuckin’ mate, or does that mean nothing to ya?”

Harry winced, slightly surprised at the ferocity being displayed by his omega. “Alright, alright,” Harry breathed out, raising his hands as if giving up. “I will explain it to you, but I will not start training you until I deem you ready, and you will not keep pushing this matter.” 

Eggsy sighed but nodded, knowing that, today, he wasn’t getting anything else out of Harry. 

With that reassurance Harry grabbed Eggsy by the neck, pressing softly against the young man’s neck before pressing their foreheads together. Harry closed his eyes and concentrated on the bond, syncing his breathing with Eggsy’s as he found the centerpoint of Eggsy’s energy  flow that connected them together. 

Eggsy gasped against him, clearly feeling Harry’s full presence in his mind. Harry was still holding most of himself back, but he had enough of a presence in Eggsy right now for it to be a little strange at first. He pulled on Eggsy’s energy as if it was a bright string, pouring his love into the younger man as he cut said string with his mind, taking the reigns of Eggsy’s power.

Eggsy clenched his hands around Harry’s biceps, for a second feeling blind as the now familiar fire inside him died down completely. On a normal occasion, he would have freaked the fuck out at what was happening, but Harry’s overflowing love was holding him down, keeping him calm, relaxing him inch by inch.

Harry hummed after a few seconds, touching the bright strands of the string together with his mind, giving Eggsy control of his powers again, retreating out of the young man’s mind slowly, as if caressing him as he went.

“That is anchoring,” Harry said after a few seconds, both of them breathing hard. 

“How did you even do that? I-” Eggsy started, not sure how words worked, at the moment. 

“I connected our energy flows and synced them. I then cut the thread that gives you access to your powers as a gatekeeper would until I could relax your mind enough that you could control them without risk. Of course, you were completely in control, so finding your energy nucleus was easy and you offered no resistance which made calming you easy and controlling you just as easy. Anchoring is generally used when the person is out of control, so their energy nucleus is not easily found, it is a lot harder to soothe them and if they win the fight when they try to access their power, they might break your mind and you will either die or lose control yourself,” Harry explained severely. 

Eggsy staggered backwards, steel feeling the whole thing as a bit surreal. “I… How did you learn how to do that?” 

“My grandfather was anchorless after my grandmother died,” Harry said his eyes far away. “I don’t how or why he lost control… but he did, and it took to great a toll on her to bring him back. I was but a baby at the time, so I don’t remember this,” Harry admitted. “When I grew older and Papa began teaching me how to use my powers… we realized that because my powers came from his own, I could anchor him. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough that he didn’t have to worry about losing control every second of every day like he had been worrying for centuries.” 

“So your powers are anchorable,” Eggsy pointed out, a hint of hope in his eyes. 

“My grandfather’s powers were  _ much _ weaker than my own. He was never quite the monster I can be. They were also much more docile, yet even his mate was unable to contain him - and she had had hundreds of years of practice,” Harry said drily, clearly the memories still painful to him. “I never knew her, but I know the pain she caused him when she died.”

Eggsy sighed, finally starting to understand that a lot of the issues Harry had with himself, his powers, and their bond were deeply rooted in his family's history. “You’re not your grandfather, babe. And I’m not her. We don’t have to be defined by them. And you are  _ not  _ a fuckin’ monster. You are an exceptional vampire, babe,” Eggsy said softly, squeezing Harry’s hand. “But I won’t let you coddle me. I’m your mate, and I will learn how to anchor you, whether you like it or not.” 

Harry sighed. “Not yet. We will give you a few years to get used to being a vampire, and then, perhaps, we can see about training you,” Harry said, his voice leaving no room for arguments. 

“What if they attack us and you lose control?” Eggsy said, staring at the floor. “What if we don’t have years?” 

Harry did not respond immediately, knowing he did not have a satisfactory answer to offer Eggsy. “We will talk to Merlin later today, but for now… for now don’t worry about it, alright?” 

Eggsy sighed but nodded, grabbing Harry by the hand as they walked out. He hated fighting with the man, but he knew he had to be firm on this. He couldn’t let Harry’s fears control their lives. He just couldn’t. Still, it was unbearable to feel his mate so tense next to him. 

“Hey,” Eggsy called, pulling slightly at Harry’s hand to get his attention. “I love ya, Harry.” 

The man sighed, the weight of the world on his shoulders. He stopped in the middle of the hallway to give the young man a fleeting peck, not responding with words. There was nothing he could say right now, nothing except  _ I told you mating with me would be a bad idea.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the super long wait. I have been in exams and then I had so much shit to do, I haven't had time to sit down and write in a while. I am hoping to have chapter 7 of my [The Golden Circle fix-it fic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12198435) up by the weekend.  
> Also for updates, snippets and stuff on all my hartwin fics you should follow my [blog](ogkingsmanhartwin.tumblr.com)  
> P.s Happy Thanksgiving to you all!


	31. Meeting the Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “You married into the family. You have to love me. It's a contractual obligation.”   
> ― Julia Quinn

Harry sat quietly next to Merlin, his look blank as he read over a rather large packet of documents his brother had brought to his attention. “Is this all they found?” 

Merlin nodded. “We have destroyed that base, but they knew we were coming. All servers there were wiped clean, so we still don’t know where their roots are. Until we find the heat, more of them will keep springing up, though I would hope with this latest counterattack it will take these blasted idiots a little longer to regroup.”

“And the investigation? Have we obtained all the records from the noble houses of the clans?” Harry asked drily, giving back the papers to Merlin. 

“Valentine sent everything over, and nothing jumps out as abnormal, though I am having them be looked at again. As for Chester, not everything has been sent over yet, and there’s some inconsistencies with the records his registrars did send over, so it is most likely that the traitor comes from his clan,” Merlin said delicately, gauging Harry’s reaction. 

Harry sighed, looking tired. “I am afraid we’ll have to inform him, then. No one knows his clan better than he does, and no one is as disgusted by treason as much as him. I just hope he doesn’t get too volatile. I don’t want casualties,” Harry mused, mostly to himself. 

“You’ll also have to tell him and Valentine about your mating,” Merlin reminded him, happy for a second that Eggsy had decided to go spend some time with his mother as Harry’s meetings had dragged on interminably. He preferred to talk about the more administrative side of Harry’s new relationship without the boy there. He didn’t want to inadvertently hurt anyone’s feelings. 

Harry tensed, but nodded. “Send a messenger and request their presence. I want them here no later than Friday,” Harry said as he stood up. 

Merlin nodded, not looking up at Harry as he said “we can’t dely the human press release much longer - and we need to have the official ceremony done as well Harry, otherwise he won’t be fully recognized.” 

Harry nodded. “I just want to inform Valentine and Chester first, otherwise it will cause unnecessary rifts. They need to be at the ceremony, and considering the security problems, I want to first assure we can control the situation. The humans can wait - it’s not for them to know, anyway.” Harry picked up his outer cloak, donning it on with ease. “I also need you to find me a good tutor for Eggsy.” 

“I know,” Merlin said with a small smile. “I took the liberty of starting my search the day his heat started,” Merlin informed him, chuckling at the look of surprise on Harry’s face. “I would tutor him myself, but I’m afraid until we can squash the insurrection, I don’t have enough time. Roxanne has agreed to tutor him until I am able to do it myself.” 

Harry nodded. “Ask her to be gentle, would you? It’s not going to be an easy change for Eggsy and he will probably be overwhelmed more often than not. There’s a lot of information she’s going to be throwing at him.” 

Merlin snorted. “He’s not a child, Harry. Don’t treat him as such. He’ll have to learn to adjust if he wants to be your consort - but I will ask her to be kind,” Merlin amended, ignoring Harry’s glare. “Now, there’s one more thing we must discuss: don’t you think it’s high time you met the boy’s mother?” Merlin groused, his eyes still glued to his notes.  

Harry froze for a second, not having expected that question. “I… I don’t know if it’s a terribly good idea, Merlin. As far as you’ve told me, she’s still not completely at ease with her son being a vampire yet. I don’t think she’ll take it very well if I’m to tell her that I, of all people, am now mated to her oldest son.” 

“She’s going to have to find out eventually, Harry, and it’s better if the two of you tell her before we make a public announcement,” Merlin argued, finally leaving his notes to the side to stare at Harry. “You don’t have to give her the details of who you are, you know? All she needs to know is that Eggsy will be in the public eye, and that with you he’ll be protected for the rest of his life.” 

Harry snorted. “You mean that with me there will be more attempts on his life than ever before,” Harry replied drily, before walking to the door. “He’s currently down in her quarters, correct?” 

Merlin nodded. “He hadn’t had time to see her since he became a Kingsman.” 

Harry sighed, but steeled himself for what was to come. “Alright, hold my meetings for the next hour. I… I am going to go talk to her.” 

* * *

Michelle sat quietly in the living room, watching her two children play on the floor. Eggsy had Daisy on his lap, keeping her steady as she built her castle with the new lego set the vampires had gotten her. 

He was wearing fancier clothes than she had ever seen him in before, and she wasn’t sure if it was because the vampires had something going on today, or if they were forcing her boy to wear these types of clothes now. He had always preferred comfort over fashion, and he had never been one for cloak-like robes and multi-layered suits. She wasn’t sure if she could ask, though, considering how defensive Eggsy seemed to be of his new reality. 

Michelle stood up then, and walked to the window, opening it all the way as she took in a breath of fresh air. She closed her eyes and leaned against the window frame. Truth be told, Michelle was starting to go a bit stir fry crazy within the confines of the castle. They hadn’t exactly forbidden her from leaving her quarters, so she did occasionally venture out to the gardens during the day, but she hadn’t been out and about in the world in months now. And, while she understood that it was risky due to what had happened with Dean, she couldn’t stay in the damn castle forever. She needed to get back to regular life. She needed to get Daisy back to school with her regular teachers, and other human children. 

She could appreciate how much of an effort the vampires were making, but she also knew they didn’t belong here like Eggsy now did. And she hoped one day her boy would be able to come back with her, but she knew at the moment he was still discovering and exploring his new reality and she didn’t want to get in the way of that. 

“Mum, are you alright?” Eggsy asked quietly, concern clear in his gaze. 

Michelle turned around, a tired smile on her lips. Before she could answer him with words, however, a knock rang at the door. Her eyes snapped up and she quickly made her way to the door, not noticing the sudden nervousness in her son’s gaze in her haste. 

She yanked the door open, a slight frown already on her face, when she came face to face with a vampire unlike any she had seen as of yet. His skin seemed to be paler, and while it looked as soft as any other vampire’s, she could almost see the steel hiding underneath. His eyes, too, seemed redder, older, and wiser, than any she had yet come across, as if the man had seen or lived through more things than even the castle itself could say. His attire too, screamed money, and his posture screamed power, which were all the clues she needed to know she was probably standing in front of one of the vampire Kings - or at the very least a high-up noble. 

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Unwin,” Harry said in a silky town, not quite bowing his head, but giving her a respectful nod, which she was sure many would kill to get. 

She gaped at him for a second, not quite sure what to say. “I… uh, Good Afternoon. Please come in,” she said after a few tense seconds, moving to the side and opening the door for him.

“I apologize for the late introduction. I haven’t had time to properly welcome you to my home. My name is Harry Hart,” the man said as he turned to face her, a small, tight lipped smile on his face. “I know it's not quite like your human home, but I hope at least my clan has been welcoming to you.”

“Yes, everyone's been very kind. Thank you… your Majesty,” Michelle finished a bit awkwardly, not exactly knowing how she was supposed to act in front of vampiric royalty - or royalty in general, really. 

Before either had to waste any more awkward moments trying to figure out what to say to each other, Daisy jumped away from her brother's lap and ran to her mother, eyeing the newcomer curiously. She took two step forward, her hand still touching her mother's knee, as if to reassure herself. 

“Hullo,” Daisy said simply, staring the vampire King right in the eye.

Harry couldn't help but widen his grin, still careful to keep his sharp canines hidden. “Good evening, Miss Unwin,” Harry said kindly.

“Are ya a friend of Eggsy's, mister?” Daisy asked as she tilted her head to the side, her eyes traveling towards her brother, who had gotten up a few seconds ago and was now standing close to the red-eyed man.

“Yes he is, flower,” Eggsy said reassuringly as he stepped even closer, his arm brushing Harry’s. “He’s the nice man I told you was lettin’ us stay here.”

“Why are ya dressed like that?” Daisy asked curiously, looking at the Harry's long, black cloak, which covered most of his suit. 

Harry looked down, stifling a chuckle. “I had a meeting with some very stuffy people, so I had to wear this.” 

“Are ya stuffy too?” She asked with a giggle.

“The stuffiest of them all,” Eggsy said with his own giggle, winking at his sister.

Harry rolled his eyes at the younger man. He shrugged off the cloak, sliding a hand down to pick up the garment by the collar before it could hit the floor. He folded it in half neatly, before hanging it on his left arm. “Happy?”

Eggsy grinned, wrapping one hand around the man's waist as he leaned in to kiss his cheek. “Don't worry, you look pretty either way,” Eggsy said chuckling, the fact that his mother and sister were still in the fucking room not clicking until he was leaning away. 

He felt Harry stiffen under his touch for a second, and Eggsy froze then, wanting to brain himself. How the fuck had he gotten so comfortable with Harry's person in just a day? Leaning in and touching his mate had felt as natural as breathing, he hadn't even had to think about it. Which, honestly, was a problem because subtlety was damn important - especially right now when their relationship still wasn’t necessarily on solid ground. 

Eggsy hadn't expected Harry to take the initiative to come meet his mother.  While Eggsy knew Harry had read his file and thus knew the basics of his family, they hadn't  _ talked _ about Eggsy's family all that much, not after Harry had rescued them. It wasn't that either of them was avoiding the topic, it was just that Harry was incredibly busy most of the time, and, between training and his heats, Eggsy hadn't actually had much time to talk to Harry about how they wanted to go about this - this being what Eggsy was supposed to introduce Harry as to his family. 

And now Eggsy had just very clearly put a label of “we’re  _ something”  _ on the both of them for his mother to see. He hadn't even introduced the King properly to her yet, and he had already managed to taint her image of him. 

Harry patted the hand still frozen around his waist, almost as if able to hear Eggsy's increasingly distressing thoughts. He half intertwined his fingers with Eggsy's, forcing the young man's grip to relax and his body to curl into Harry's just a smidge closer. “Well Miss Unwin, I hear you love the same flowers that you were named after. Is this true?”

The young girl looked at their intertwined hands, smiling softly as she nodded. “Mister, why are you holding my Eggsy's hand?” She asked with a crooked smile, as if the act was funny to her. 

Harry's eyes warmed at that. “I find that I rather enjoy holding your brother's hand, if that's alright with you, of course.” 

Daisy looked hard at thought for a few seconds, before shrugging. “So long as you know that he's  _ my _ Eggsy,” she warned before turning back to her toys. 

“Huh, so I’m her Eggsy now? Pfft, just six months ago she was saying she didn't know me,” Eggsy said to no one in particular, making Harry wonder if the boy was just babbling to avoid lapsing into an awkward silence. Harry knew the boy enough now to know he disliked unnatural silences and would do almost anything to keep them from happening. 

He also tended to babble when he was nervous. 

“Mrs. Unwin, if it would be alright with you, there are a few things I want to discuss with you,” Harry said with an amicable smile as he squeezed the hand still resting on hips waist, both to offer comfort and to get Eggsy to let him go. 

The woman nodded stiffly, her eyes narrowing down on Harry, despite the fact that Eggsy’s hands were no longer on his person. Harry met her hard stare head on, thanking the high heavens for the hundreds of years he had had to practice keeping a cool head and, more importantly, an impenetrable, unreadable mask when dealing with even his strongest oppositors. Michelle most certainly did not neat to know that Harry was grimacing on the inside. 

She led them into the kitchen, where they all sat down by the breakfast table, away from Daisy’s young ears. Eggsy sat down next to Harry, unconsciously leaning into his alpha, whether for comfort or protection Harry wasn’t sure, but either way he did his best to ignore it. It wouldn’t do to touch Eggsy right now, not with the way Michelle was looking at him. 

“I hope your quarters are to your satisfaction?” Harry asked conversationally, unable to just tackle the elephant in the room. 

“Yes, thank you very much, although, to be honest, I am hopin’ we can go back home soon,” She admitted, her eyes travelling to her daughter, who was still playing in the living room. “Daisy needs kids her age to play with, and while it’s very nice that you have your people tutoring her, she needs to go to school. I also need to get back to work. I need to get to lookin’ for one anyway.”

“No, mum, yeh don’t ‘afta worry about a job,” Eggsy said immediately, reaching out to squeeze his mother’s hand. “Yeh don’t honestly think I’d make you leave Daisy alone? Mum, Harry can cover any expenses you have,” Eggsy assured her immediately, feeling slightly bad for not having consulted his mate before making such an offer, but knowing deep inside that he would not be rebuffed. 

Harry fought to contain a smile, the alpha in him all but purring in delight at the fact that Eggsy was so willingly to trust him, to rely on him. “Indeed, money will never again be a problem for you, Madame, of that I can assure you.” 

Michelle half grimaced. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate your kindness, but… well, like I said, we need to get back to our own world, Mr. Hart.”

“My helping your family is not contingent on you staying in this palace,” Harry clarified gently. “Like Eggsy said, we will provide for you and your daughter - after all, it is because of us that you have been otherwise indisposed,” Harry said primly, figuring it wasn’t the best idea to say  _ I was the one that killed your husband, sorry about that. _

“It’s not safe for you to go back now, though,” Eggsy argued, biting his lip. “Mum, the insurrection is gettin’ stronger, and if they find out yeh are related to me, they are gonna come lookin’ for ya.” 

Michelle frowned. “Why would they know you were human once? Also, why would they care? I mean, I know yeh said yeh are part of the king’s guard but-”

“Because he isn’t just a king’s guard, I’m afraid,” Harry interrupted smoothly, resting his hands atop his crossed legs. “Which I guess, brings us to the topic I came here to discuss,” Harry said, holding back a sigh. So much for a diversion.

Eggsy shuffled on his seat, turning to look at Harry, both to reassure the man and to take his queue given that he wasn’t sure what his mate wanted him to say or do, but Harry wasn’t looking at him. The man’s piercing eyes were resting on his mother. 

“Mrs. Unwin, what, if anything, do you know about vampiric mating?” He asked gently. 

“Nothin’. Yeh lot don’t necessarily share your secrets with humans,” She pointed out, feeling a little thrown off by the change in subject.

Harry nodded in agreement. “Vampires, unlike humans, cannot just randomly choose who to settle down with. We have different… biological traits, if you will, that separate vampires into alphas and omegas. That is the first narrowing when choosing a partner; an alpha will never be compatible with another alpha and an omega cannot mate with another omega.” 

Michelle frowned. “What exactly is the difference between the two?” 

“Well, the main difference between the two is that omegas are able to carry children while alphas cannot. Omegas have different pheromones as well, and are generally physically weaker than alphas - hence why all omegas have… special abilities that tend to make them as strong - if not stronger - than alphas. It’s their defense mechanism. There’s two types of alphas; alpha primes, and normal alphas. They are similar in most aspects, except alpha primes have abilities like their omega counterparts and, like omegas, alpha primes have the ability to turn humans into vampires. A regular alpha doesn’t have that ability and they are significantly weaker - physically speaking - than alpha primes.” 

“So… are you one of those, then? An alpha prime?” Michelle asked, remembering the fact that it was the king himself that had changed her son. 

Harry nodded. “Now, all vampires have the ability to mate. We generally have two to four people we are compatible with. Of this small pool, vampires choose a single person to mate with - meaning, they enter into a romantic and sexual relationship that also binds them biologically to one another. They can share emotions, they can anchor each other, and they can even share thoughts if the connection is deepened enough. They can also feel physical pain if the other is in danger or has been harmed. More importantly, they are able to procreate once mated,” Harry recited as if he had read the textbook definition a hundred times and could now spit it out verbatim in his sleep. “However, the stronger the vampire, the less compatible he or she is with other people, thus the chances of mating for certain vampires are very low.”

Michelle sat attentively, absorbing every single word coming out of the man’s mouth. “What does that have to do with Eggsy?” She asked once the man finished, not wanting Harry to keep beating around the bush. 

Harry turned to look at Eggsy, his gaze softening for a second. “Well, in truth, this isn’t as much about Eggsy as it is about me,” Harry replied calmly. “You see, I am considered to be, by and large, the strongest vampire alive,” Harry said, grimacing at his own words. He hated sounding like a prat. “Humans are aware of this as well, and so the insurrection is particularly set against me. Thus, my clan and my direct family are more likely to be targeted than any other vampire.” 

“But Eggsy isn’t part of your family,” she said slowly, her eyes narrowing. They both knew her words weren’t true. 

“Publicly - and formally - he is not,” Harry agreed after a few quiet seconds. “Not yet, anyway. But that will change fairly soon.”

“And why would that change?” Michelle asked sharply, wanting Harry to spell it out for her as she hoped against hope that her suspicions were incorrect. 

“Because Eggsy is my mate, and so he will publicly be known as my consort, ” Harry said finally, his eyes travelling to the bite mark on Eggsy’s neck. Harry could feel Michelle’s gaze travelling with his, and he grimaced at her sharp intake of breath. 

“But he was human! You said you just have a few choices… why would you choose my son? He was human. He couldn’t even mate you!” Michelle snapped at Harry. 

“When I turned Eggsy, I was not aware that we were compatible,” Harry said immediately, suddenly on the defense. “I changed him solely to save his life. I had no intentions of marking him, and I certainly didn’t think he would be interested in something like that - especially not with me.” 

“That doesn’t answer my question. You said you had two to four options. Why then would you choose my boy, when you knew how much danger it would put him in?” Michelle bit out, raising a hand to stop Eggsy from saying anything. 

“No, I said most vampires have two to four options. I also told you the stronger the vampire, the less options he or she has. Eggsy is the first vampire I have come across in my admittedly long life that I am actually perfectly compatible with,” Harry bit out, his temper starting to rise. “And I didn’t force him into this if that’s what you’re thinking,” Harry said, the anger in Michelle’s eyes easy for him to read. 

“And how can you be so sure? I mean what exactly do you want me to think, Mr. Hart? You take him out of our world and forcibly change him. You keep us here without chance of return, and he is forced into your service. What other options did he have, exactly?” 

“Stop!” Eggsy suddenly thundered, standing up with his teeth bared. “How can you even say that?” Eggsy seethed, looking genuinely hurt. He hadn’t intervened until now knowing Harry would prefer it that way, but this was getting ridiculous. “First of all, Harry saved our lives, mum, so at least a little gratitude towards ‘im would be nice. Second, the only reason yeh can’t go back yet is ‘cuz that would be dangerous for yeh and for Daisy. Third, he didn’t force me to serve as his guard. I wanted to do it. For fuck’s sake, he didn’t even want to mate with me, Mum! He, just like ya, was worried about my safety, and my happiness and all this bullshit about not being good for me,” Eggsy ranted, rolling his eyes at both of them. “Well guess what? I love him! I love him and I wouldn’t take no for an answer, so stop fuckin’ grillin’ him because he’s not the monster you are paintin’ him out to be.” 

Harry sighed. “I realize this is a lot of changes to take in and accept,” Harry said, acting as the conciliator - as usual. “But I can assure you, Mrs. Unwin, that there are no hidden motives behind my actions. I love your son, and I would love him regardless of whether or not we were mated. I realize you don’t approve of most of my actions so far, and you can even dislike me for the rest of your life if you wish, but for now I need you to work with me. You are his mother, and so it is my duty to help you as well.” 

Before anyone else could say anything, they were interrupted by a knock at the door. 

“Enter,” Harry commanded, ignoring Michelle’s glare due to the fact that he had taken the liberty to answer the door for her. 

Kay walked in then, looking very uncomfortable to have to interrupt his king. He walked closer to the man and bowed, keeping his head down as he said “your majesty, Lord Rowland is waiting for you in the throne room. Merlin instructed me to fetch you, as he said you wouldn’t want to miss this meeting.”

“Very well, thank you, Kay,” Harry said as he stood up, half smiling as the man immediately came to stand behind him, ready to escort Harry. He looked back at Eggsy and his mother, and he grimaced internally. He could tell Eggsy was still fuming. 

He grabbed Eggsy’s hand and squeezed it softly, before leaning in and kissing his cheek ever so softly to calm him down. As he straightened up, he said “I will give you two a chance to clear the air.” At Eggsy’s tense nod, he turned to look at Michelle. “I am afraid Eggsy is right, Mrs. Unwin, you cannot currently return to the human world, but as soon as I squash the human insurrection, I will make sure to return you safely to your home,” Harry informed her, keeping his tone impersonal before walking towards the living room, where he said his goodbyes to Daisy before finally exiting the quarters. 

“Kay, remind me to call Percival,” Harry said as they walked quickly back. “Perhaps he can talk to Michelle to get her to wind down a bit.” 

* * *

Harry brought the cup full of warm blood up to his lips, running his thumb over his ring absentmindedly. He was sitting by the open  window in his bedroom, enjoying the chilly night breeze. It was the first moment he had for himself - of just peace and quiet - in over a week, and he was grateful for it. 

He had managed to finish his meetings fairly early - a gift in it of itself, and he had made his way back to his quarters immediately. He had expected to find Eggsy there, if he was honest, but Merlin had informed him the boy was still with his mother and Harry had not wanted to interrupt. 

His moment was short lived, however, as Eggsy soon opened the door to their bedroom, looking tired and slightly irate. Harry sighed and put his cup on the table nearest to him, standing up and extending his hand towards Eggsy. 

Eggsy clasped it immediately, letting Harry draw him in. He rested his head against Harry's chest, sighing. Harry led them back towards the window, rubbing Eggsy's back slowly as the young man nuzzled against Harry's neck, breathing in his mate’s scent. 

“Have you fed?” Harry asked quietly, keenly aware that Eggsy hadn’t properly fed during their mating for they had both been a little too gone on the craze that came with Eggsy’s pheromones. 

“Not really,” Eggsy said, his voice muffled by Harry’s skin.

Harry smiled softly, shaking his head. He pulled away slightly, reaching for his still mostly full goblet and passed it on to Eggsy. “Drink,” Harry commanded, his tone gentle, but the order clear. 

Eggsy didn’t fight him, taking the cup and turning to rest his back against Harry’s chest as he took small sips of blood. He looked out the window as Harry wrapped his arms around Eggsy’s abdomen. 

“I hate fightin’ with her,” Eggsy sighed, not needing to explain who “her” was. 

“I know, I’m sorry,” Harry said as he kissed the side of Eggsy’s forehead. “I called Percival. He will be coming over soon to try to talk to her. I know she likes him a little better than me, so he might be able to get her to stay here a little more willingly.” 

“I just hate the fact that she can’t… I mean, I’m a vampire now, and she just… why can’t she just accept that I’m still me?” Eggsy half growled in frustration. 

“Darling, a few months ago, you would have had a similar reaction,” Harry reminded Eggsy, amused. “If I recall, before we met, you didn’t like vampires.”

Eggsy opened his mouth to argue, but closed it again after a few seconds when he realized the man was right. “But I wouldn’t have hated my mum if she had been the one transformed,” he finally said, a bit petulantly. 

“She doesn’t hate you, darling,” Harry refuted. “She just doesn’t yet know how to deal with the new reality of her family. A lot has changed for her in just a few months. You need to give her time.”

Eggsy bit his lip. “What if she never accepts… us.”

“Well, considering who she married, I honestly don’t shink she has a foot to stand on when it comes to judging who you decide to be with,” Harry hal snapped, doing his best to keep his temper in check. “However, if she truly feels strongly about it, I will do my best to avoid her when she comes to visit.” 

“But I don’t want you to have to do that!” Eggsy growled, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “That’s exactly my point, she’s just…” 

“Eggsy, you are assuming a lot of things,” Harry said as he rank his hands up and down Eggsy’s arms. “Your mother loves you, darling. You need to give her the benefit of the doubt.” 

“Why are you defending her?” Eggsy asked curiously after a few seconds, leaning his head back against Harry’s shoulder. 

“Because you love her, and you have a limited amount of time with her and your sister,” Harry answered bluntly. “Human lives go by in the blink of an eye, so you need to cherish the time you have with her.”

That seemed to break the fight in Eggsy as his shoulders sagged, and his eyes turned sad. “I hadn’t thought of that.” 

Harry hummed, kissing the top of his mate’s head, feeling the young man’s pain keenly. He hated the fact that he was partially to blame for it. 

“Harry… I was thinking today while I was with mum and… well I wanna go see my friends, before we make any announcements. They ‘aven’t heard from me in months, and they’re probably worried sick,” Eggsy said with a sigh. “I’m also worried they might target them. Everyone in my neighborhood knew who my best mates were, ya know? And once the news come out that I’m a bloodsucker…” Eggsy shuddered. 

Harry held back a grimace at the insulting word, knowing that Eggsy was a little too distracted in his worry to notice he was falling back into old habits. He knew it wasn’t the safest thing to let Eggsy wander off the castle right now, but he also knew the younger man would hate him forever if something did happen to his friends and Eggsy didn’t have the chance to see them and explain to them what was happening. 

Harry had transformed Eggsy and, while he hated it, Michelle was partly right. This hadn’t been Eggsy’s choice - the least he could do is help the young man keep those he loved as save as possible.

“That can be arranged,” Harry muttered finally. “I will have Kay arrange an envoy, so you can meet with them later this week. Pick a place and inform Kay, for they will have to scout it. You also cannot go until the sun sets. I would prefer not to take any chances.” 

Eggsy nodded, feeling slightly bad for all the hassle this would no doubt cause, but feeling a little too anxious to not go through with it anyway. If the insurrection had dared attack the castle where the strongest vampire lived, then harming a few humans would mean nothing to them. And while Eggsy couldn’t bring his friends to Harry’s castle, not without calling even more attention to them, he couldn’t exactly leave them to fend for themselves either. 

“Do you have a means of contacting your friends?” Harry asked, taking Eggsy out of his reverie. 

Eggsy scoffed. “Babe, you do realize I brought my phone with me, right? I mean I haven’t used it in months, but I just ‘afta charge it and I’ll be good. It’s probably gonna blow up once I turn it on,” Eggsy whined. 

Harry froze. “What?” 

Eggsy looked back at Harry, looking confused. “I’ve been gone for months, Harry. I probably have a ton of messages and emails and shit that I have to catch up on.”  

Harry hummed noncommittally, not sure whether to ask why it was important to catch up on information that was no longer relevant for Eggsy’s life. He also didn’t further comment on Eggsy’s odd choice of words, not wanting to embarass himself as it seemed to him that Eggsy had expected him to know that the phone wasn’t going to actually blow up despite those being the exact words.

While Harry occasionally made use of technology, it wasn’t his area of expertise, nor did he care much for it, if he was honest. Anything that demanded too much technology, he tended to delegate to Merlin, who was the true tech genius in the family. The man had been obsessed with the damn thing ever since electricity had been created. And, while Harry had supported - and continued supporting - the man’s strange obsession, he himself wasn’t quite willing to waste as much time on finding out just how every single gadget came to be and what they were useful for. 

“Just make sure the meeting remains confidential,” Harry said finally, pulling away from Eggsy to go change his clothes. “And, if possible, keep your new status a secret until you see them. I know you trust them, but, like I said, we cannot risk your safety.” 

Eggsy nodded, walking close to Harry to give him a chaste peck. “Thank you for this. I know it’s gonna be a pain in the ass to arrange and I know yeh don’t like the idea of me goin’, but yeh are not fightin’ me on it, so thank you.” 

Harry smiled despite himself, caressing Eggsy’s cheek. “Darling, I know as much as I may like to, I cannot keep you here forever - not without you hating me. You were human not so long ago, and you are still tied to that life. Eventually however… you will have to let that go. As my consort, you will have to be a vampire of the sanguis clan, first and foremost,” Harry warned, his eyes sad. 

Eggsy swallowed hard, but eventually nodded, feeling, for the first time, like he was starting to understand what Harry had meant when he had said it would be hard for Eggsy to be mated to the King.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the super long wait, I have had a crazy month. I should be back to more regular updating now, though.


	32. Announcements

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I've learned that for many people, change is uncomfortable. Maybe they want to go through it, and they can see the benefit of it, but at a gut level, change is uncomfortable."   
> \- Mitchell Baker

Eggsy tapped his foot rapidly against the carpeted floor of the car, looking out the window as he tried to keep his impatience reigned in. While they had arrived to the Black Prince almost ten minutes prior, Bors and Lamorak - the escorts Kay had picked for his outing - had refused to let Eggsy out until they did a thorough check of the neighborhood. 

His friends had arrived five minutes ago and had texted him, however, until the two vampires were back, Eggsy was not allowed to do much but wait. He couldn’t even tell his friends he was already there, as they couldn’t know where they had parked. It all seemed a bit silly to Eggsy, but he knew that with the rising tensions between vampires and humans, his safety was primordial. It was still strange that he had gone from being a part of the guard not a week ago to now being protected by it, tooth and nail.

Eggsy breathed a sigh of relief when he finally saw Lamorak reappear around the corner of the Black Prince. Eggsy sat up, keeping himself from opening the door and running out to meet his friends by the skin of his teeth. He felt very proud of himself for waiting until Lamorak opened the door of the car and said “We have cleared the perimeter, your Majesty. You may now join the humans” to actually get out and stretch his legs. 

“Thank you, Lamorak,” Eggsy said as the man closed the car door behind him. It felt so very strange to be addressed as majesty, and multiple variations of that, but he knew it was unavoidable, no matter how much he hated it. 

He and Harry hadn’t performed the marriage ceremony yet, and he hadn’t told the other clans yet, but Harry had decided to introduce Eggsy as his mate to the entirety of the sanguis nobility - and guard - that morning, which meant they had all gone ahead and started calling him by his soon to be title of “Prince Gary, consort to the King”. 

Eggsy walked into the bar then, grateful that at least his guard had agreed it would be too conspicuous to follow Eggsy inside. Thus, they had decided to wait for Eggsy near the bar (close enough to listen to absolutely everything). It still meant he had no real privacy, but at least his friends wouldn’t feel intimidated, so he counted it as a win. 

He smiled broadly once the door closed behind him and his eyes landed on his three friends. He made his way to them, holding back a grimace when he realized they were probably looking shocked due to his posh attire. He hadn’t come in a three piece suit, but he was still wearing a button down and slacks which was far posher than what his friends were used to seeing him in. 

Jamal whistled low as Eggsy finally pulled back a chair and sat down. “Where the hell have you been mate? You dropped off the face of the earth! And what’s with them fancy clothes?” 

“You look real pale, Eggsy, are you a’right?” Ryan said, a frown adorning his features. 

Eggsy gave them all a bashful smile. “Yeah, m’fine. I’m sorry I disappeared. Life’s been… crazy.” 

“Mate what’s with the red contacts? Are yeh undercover or something?” Brandon asked, raising a brow.

Eggsy shuffled uncomfortably. “Ah, no, no I’m not. I’ll explain in a bit, first I ‘afta ask: how are yeh guys doin’? ‘Ave Dean’s men been botherin’ yeh at all?”

“Nah they’ve been pretty quiet since he died. The police was stumped, but one of them said they saw a vampire take yer mum and yer sis, mate, so people think it might have been one of them freaks that attacked Dean and his gang.” 

“Don’t call them that,” Eggsy half snapped feeling a bit defensive of his mate. “Besides, they did us a favor gettin’ rid of Dean.” 

His friends all looked shocked. “Wait, hold up, are yeh defending the bloodsuckers?” Brandon asked. “I thought you hated them, mate.” 

Eggsy bit the inside of his cheek. “I don’t hate them. I was just… misinformed. They ain’t as bad as people say, and most of them are actually rather nice.” 

“Yeh say that as if yeh knew them personally,” Ryan pointed out, his tone a bit chilly. 

“I do,” Eggsy confirmed, his face betraying nothing. “They put me on the security detail for one of their Kings when he came to talk with the humans due to the insurgencies happening.” 

“What did he come to talk about? Bloodsuckers are killing humans, and we’re fighting back. How is that surprising?” Jamal said with a snort.

“Don’t call them that,” Eggsy said again, trying not to lose his temper. “And it ain’t the clans that are attacking humans. It’s humans working with some fucked up vampires that are hurting humans to get governments riled up. Look, it ain’t all what it seems you gotta trust me on that.” 

“And how do you know so much about this? Did the vampire king tell you? Eggsy, how do you even know you can trust him?” Jamal said, looking upset. 

“Harry wouldn’t lie to me, Jamal. Besides, I saw it with my own eyes, so stop being so fucking paranoid,” Eggsy said seriously, feeling frustrated. 

“Eggsy… you still haven’t told us why your eyes are red,” Ryan said after a few tense seconds, when reality started dawning in on him. “Oh my god, they turned you, didn’t they?” 

“Yes, but it ain’t what yeh are thinking. I finished my mission, and I came back home and then I confronted that scumbag Dean after he hit me mum. But his asshole friends shot me here,” Eggsy said, motioning to the middle of the room with his head. 

“Wait, are yeh tryin’ to say the vampires saved yeh?” Jamal said, looking surprised. 

Eggsy nodded. “Harry - their king - saved me, and when they tried to attack him, he killed them. He also saved me mum, because he was afraid they would try to harm her,” Eggsy looked distant for a moments as he remembered that first night when he had woken up next to a very apologetic Harry. “He saved me life, and he gave me a place in his clan.”

“Fuck,” Ryan said, his chair scraping against the floor as he moved back slightly. “So, what, are yeh one of them now?” 

Eggsy looked sadly at his friends, hating the fear that he could see there. “There ain’t no us or them. I am still me, just like yeh are all yeh and Harry is Harry. Our nature doesn’t define us or change us. I know we like to think vampires are scary and shit, but they ‘ave good and bad people, just like humans do.” 

“They ain’t nothin’ like humans, Eggsy. You know they’re not - or at least you used to know.” Ryan stood up then, not quite ready to share a table with a vampire. “Or did yeh forget one of those bloodsuckers killed my girlfriend?” 

“I already told you, the attacks have nothin’ to do with the clans,” Eggsy pleaded. “Yeh can’t paint all of them under the same brush. Yeh hate it when those posh wankers look down on all of us without even knowing us, but yeh are doin’ the same to the vampires.” 

“Why did yeh want to meet today,” Jamal said suddenly, changing the topic. “Yeh said yeh had somethin’ important to discuss.” 

Eggsy sighed, realizing that his naive hope to maintain his human friendships was nothing more than a dream. “Yeh are all in danger - or you will be soon. There’s a big announcement the clan is making soon - an announcement that affects me and Harry. Since the insurrection is targeting Harry, they might try to come for yeh, as they will know that they can get through me if they threaten yeh guys, and they can get to Harry through me. I’m here to offer yeh all protection.” 

“What announcement?” Brandon, who was the only one who wasn't looking at Eggsy like he had never seen him, asked. 

Before Eggsy could answer, however, a group of Dean’s men walked into the bar, all five freezing once they saw Eggsy. Their demeanor changed entirely as they walked closer, clearly looking for a fight.

_ Fucking great. _

Eggsy turned his body slightly, making it clear he had no intention to talk to them. Of course, they did not take the hint, and began approaching the table. 

“So the mutt’s back,” one of them, Rottweiler, Eggsy was pretty sure, said. “You ain’t welcomed here, mutt.” 

“Last I checked you didn’t own this bar, so I don’t really care what you think,” Eggsy snapped, still not turning to look at them. “Now get off my fuckin’ back and leave us be.”

“Feelin’ high and mighty because Dean is dead, ain’t ya,” said another one - “Butcher Tom” was the name Dean had given him, or so Eggsy remembered. “He might be gone, slut, but that don’t mean yeh have any part in this neighborhood. If the bloodsuckers are after yer family, then yeh better get runnin’, because we ain’t about to risk our neighborhood for you.” 

Eggsy didn’t laugh, but it was a near thing. So they were now targeting him because they thought the vampires were after him. Life was honestly ridiculous. 

“The vampires are not after me, Tom, so you can fuck off. I won’t say it again; leave us the hell alone,” Eggsy warned, his voice still calm, but his eyes holding a steely glint as he turned to look at them. 

The effect was immediate. Three of them jumped slightly backwards while the other two looked ready to tear Eggsy a new one. Tom pulled out a gun immediately, his hand steady despite the fact that Eggsy could smell his fear. 

Eggsy stood up then, walking towards the head of the table so that his friends would not be in the way of the weapon. “Mate, you really don’t want to do that,” Eggsy warned, keeping his hands in his pockets, feeling the fire inside him ignite out of its own volition. 

He made sure to keep the fire at bay, knowing that he did not yet have any idea how his powers worked or how to control them and he didn’t want to hurt his friends. Furthermore, while he knew he had every right to kill the humans, he needed to wait until they fired the weapon; otherwise, it would be considered an escalation of violence on his part, and Harry didn’t need the headache right now. 

Heck, he didn’t need the headache right now. His friends would probably not be very happy if he killed humans. It didn’t matter that this particular group of humans was threatening them. 

“And why don’t I wanna do that, bloodsucker?” Tom grunted, taking another dangerous step forward. 

“Because I will have the right to kill you if you dare to use it,” Harry said as he opened the door to the bar, looking as regal and untouchable as always. 

His eyes were covered by a pair of dark sunglasses, which also served to keep his rage hidden to all but Eggsy, who didn’t need to see Harry’s eyes to feel his fury. The bond did the job of alerting him to Harry’s current emotional state, and it wasn’t promising for those currently pointing a weapon at Eggsy. 

Everyone whirled around to face the door, clearly not having expected more company. Kay, Lamorak and Bors walked in right behind Harry, all of them weaponless but looking dangerous regardless. 

“Who the fuck-”

Before Tom could finish his sentence, Harry had run from where he stood right to Eggsy’s side, his hand coming up to tilt Eggsy’s chin up, checking the boy over quickly to make sure he hadn’t come too late and Eggsy wasn’t harmed. 

“I believe it is time we head home,” Harry said, keeping his eyes on Eggsy as Kay, Bors and Lamorak moved, all three coming to stand in front of the table, their faces expressionless. 

Tom shook his head, keeping his weapon raised. “I ain’t letting ya bloodsuckers get out of here alive. Yeh come here to our neighborhood, and you think you can get away with it? This mutt-”

Harry suddenly growled, turning back to look at them with lethal eyes. He gave his back to Eggsy and his friends who were all looking at him with different degrees of fear and curiosity. He ignored them all, in favor of glaring at the offender.

“If I were you, I would choose my next words carefully,” Harry said, his tone sounding almost pleasant despite his fearsome look. “You have thus far threatened the king’s consort,” Harry said as he signaled towards Eggsy with an open hand without looking back, “and are currently pointing your gun at said king himself. One more wrong move and your life is forfeit.”

The man's eyes widened at Harry's revelation, the situation suddenly becoming a lot more dangerous than they had all first imagined. 

Eggsy contained a grimace, doing his best to avoid his friends’ shocked and accusatory glances. He wasn't sure if they were angry because he hadn't told them before Harry got here or because he had become the King’s consort in the first place. 

Tom’s hand shook slightly but he still did not put it down, a little too caught between fear and anger to make a rational decision. Harry sighed, knowing that the man would probably shoot once and then lose his nerve. Preferably, he didn't want it to get that far.

The King raised his hand and the man immediately dropped the gun, his blood answering to Harry's every command. Tom dropped to his knees with a pained gasped after just a faint flick of Harry's wrist. The man did not actually need to use his hand to control the man's blood, but it made it more obvious to the other humans that this was Harry's doing if he physically demonstrated his prowess. 

“What are you doing to him, you bloodsucker!” Another man screamed, whipping out his gun and firing without quite aiming. Kay jumped into action, grabbing the bullet by the side before it could hit anyone. Harry for his part merely moved his hand and the man fell to his knees next to Tom. 

“Truly, humans can have the most appalling manners,” Harry commented, his voice brimming with distaste. “I give you multiple opportunities to de-escalate your violence and reign in your stupidity and yet at every turn you just make things worse for you.” Harry sighed, looking out at the group. 

His eyes turned bright red as he awakened his power again, this time bringing them all up in the air by their throats, choking them with but a look. Eggsy grimaced, surprised to feel a dark, macabre energy emanating from his mate. There was still a door which Harry was keeping closed, that kept Eggsy back from truly seeing Harry’s deepest nature, but as Harry’s powers pulsated, more and more dark energy emanated from that door.

Eggsy reached forward, placing one hand on Harry’s arm and one atop the man’s heart. “Darling, please… stop,” Eggsy said, keeping his voice low to avoid anyone else from listening. “This ain’t like you. Please, babe, they ain’t worth it.” 

Harry watched Eggsy from the corner of his eye and, seeing the apprehension there, he took a deep breath and completely reigned in his powers - using more energy than was probably necessary. “Right then,” Harry said, keeping his tone and his face free of emotion. “Kay, make sure the authorities are made aware of their trespass against our race. While my mate might be merciful enough to beg for your lives, I assure you I am not as kind. You will spend the rest of your lives wasting away in prison, that much I can promise you.” 

With that Harry stepped away from Eggsy and swept towards the door. “It is time we go back home, Eggsy,” Harry said, without looking at him. “Please say your goodbye to your friends. I shall wait for you outside.” 

Eggsy wasn’t sure what exactly was it that he had done wrong, or if he even had done something in the first place, but it still hurt to see Harry pull away like that from him. He sighed as he turned back to look at his friends, who definitely did not look very happy with Harry. 

_ Dammit.  _

“Stop judgin’ him so harshly, he just saved your lives and he kept me from having to hurt them,” Eggsy pointed out. “Besides, he didn’t actually hurt them. They’ll be fine.” 

“What did he mean by King’s consort? Are yeh, like, married now or somethin’?” Brandon asked, still looking the most relaxed out of the group.

Eggsy smiled softly and nodded. “Kind of, yeah. I mean it ain’t official yet, but we’re… mated. It’s a long story,” Eggsy said at their confused looks. “But point is that yeah, I’m with Harry now.” 

“Well, I mean yeh could ‘ave done worse than to land a wealthy fucking King,” Brandon jested, giving Eggsy a big grin. 

Eggsy chuckled, happy to see his friend trying to keep things normal between them. “He’s great. Hopefully yeh can meet him some other time, when we’re not being threatened, and he ain’t as stressed - what with the insurrection and everythin’.” 

Brandon smiled, ignoring the skeptic looks his other friends were giving them. “Yeah, sure. We’ll find a time. Now c’mon your man is waiting for ya.” Brandon stood up then and walked with Eggsy to the door, waiting for the door to close behind them to bring Eggsy into a hug. “Look mate, I don’t really care what yeh are. I know you ain’t changed. So, if yeh are ever around, hit me up, and we can hang out, yeah? And don’t mind the others. They’re just… They need time, but they’ll come around, I know it.” 

Eggsy sighed but nodded, finally pulling away. “I hope they do, mate. I hope they do.” Eggsy looked back to the black car which was waiting a few feet away. “I should probably go. I had no idea Harry was comin’ to see me. He’s probably missin’ a shiton of meetings, so we ought to get back.” 

Brandon nodded, understanding. “Text me, a’right?” 

Eggsy gave him a wink as he walked backwards, getting closer and closer to the car. “Ya know it, mate.”

With that, Eggsy turned around and opened the door to the car, quickly sliding in. As soon as he was in, Lamorak took off, leaving behind Bors and Kay, who Eggsy assumed had been tasked with cleaning up the messy situation. 

He risked a glance towards his mate, feeling particularly frustrated that he couldn’t feel anything coming through the bond, which meant Harry was repressing everything to avoid him from seeing. 

“I can feel you pullin’ away you know,” Eggsy pointed out, tired of Harry’s lone wolf bullshit. “And I ‘ave no fuckin’ clue what it is that I did to make you do that.” 

If Harry was surprised by Eggsy’s comment, he didn’t show. He turned to face Eggsy instead, his eyes dimmed. “Eggsy…” Harry started but promptly stopped, sighing. He rubbed his temples before continuing, his eyes on the floor. “Back at the bar, when I was going to kill those worthless scums, you said “this isn’t you”, but… that is not quite true, darling,” Harry said, finally looking back up at Eggsy. “That  _ is  _ me. I told you before, Eggsy. I am not a gentle, kind, pretty thing that people love. I am a monster, Eggsy. I am a predator. I lurk in the shadows and would kill for pleasure because it is in my nature to do so.  _ I am that monster.”  _

Harry sighed, turning away again. “I tried to warn you before we... “ Harry shook his head. “It’s still not too late for you to walk away, Eggsy. It’s… well it’s not usually done, but there’s a way to break a bond, when it is still young.” 

Harry didn't mention that such a method would effectively destroy Harry’s energy for a good long while, and that it would make it impossible for the vampire King to love again. That was information Eggsy didn't need, not when the problem here was that the boy still didn't realize exactly who it was that he had mated. Harry couldn't in good conscience let him remain by his side. 

Eggsy’s eyes suddenly turned furious. “For fuck’s sake, Harry, how many times do I have to tell ya that I ain’t going anywhere!? I love you, you daft git. I don’t want to break our bond. Why do you keep trying to push me away?” 

“Because you don’t seem to  _ see _ who I am!” Harry half bellowed, his eyes shining bright red again as that same sinister energy pulsated all around the car. “You tell me to stop, that that isn’t me, but it is, Eggsy! It  _ is _ me. It was my right to kill them, and I would have done so gladly.” 

The energy emanating from Harry seemed to be becoming more and more opressive by the second.

“No, it isn’t you,” Eggsy replied calmly, knowing that if he matched Harry’s anger, the man would only escalate this. “I know you like to think of yourself as some depraved monster, but you’re not. If you were, you would have unleashed the beast within you long ago. You wouldn't have negotiated with the humans centuries ago to keep vampires from killing them. You wouldn't have protected Percival from Chester. You wouldn't even think of yourself as a monster because you wouldn't give a fuck about your actions.” 

Eggsy moved then, hauling himself on top of Eggsy, sitting comfortably on the man’s lap. He caressed Harry's frozen cheek, smiling softly at Harry. He really wanted to find the asshole that had convinced Harry he was the worst thing that had ever happened to the world. He wanted to punch their face in.

Eggsy continued caressing Harry's cheek as he leaned in to rest his forehead against Harry, feeling almost proud of himself as the macabre energy began dying down. “I stopped you not because I think you a monster, but because I know you hate killing humans and you blame yourself for every life you take. I stopped you because I love you and  _ I know you.” _

Harry remained quiet, but his eyes softened, and he brought a hand up to caress Eggsy’s cheek. His hand travelled down to Eggsy’s neck and he brought him in for a feverish kiss, full of longing, and pain and fear. 

Eggsy knew it would take years to undo the damage done to Harry’s psyche when it came to how he viewed himself. He would probably have to talk to Merlin and Gazelle to understand where Harry’s views came from. But, still, he knew they could get through it. He would just have to remind Harry that he was loved, that he deserved a life, a family, just like everyone else. 

WIth one last kiss Harry finally pulled away, looking confusedly at Eggsy. “I hope you’re right in staying, my love _.”  _

Eggsy rolled his eyes. “Of course I am. I love you, Harry. Ain’t nothing going to change that.”

* * *

Eggsy stepped right next to Harry, who was currently standing near the window of his study. While on the outside he looked as calm as always, Eggsy knew he was a bit nervous. They hadn't been able to spend much time together since their return from their visit to Eggsy's friends, as Harry hadn't been scheduled to go but had gone anyway out of - very valid - worry. But, to make up for his day long excursion, he had had to put in a lot more hours into his duties, which in turn meant he had less time for Eggsy. 

Not that Eggst could really complain, considering he had been stuck in etiquette and history classes non-stop since they had arrived as Roxy, his tutor, had 4 days free and had decided that it was best if they studied virtually non-stop, as she often was too busy to help Eggsy.  

But, she had given him a break - at Harry's request - for they had to attend an important meeting. It had taken two days, but Valentine and Chester had answered to his summons, and were meant to arrive in mere minutes, which meant Harry would have to re-introduce them to Eggsy as the King’s mate. 

He wasn't overly worried about Valentine's reaction, as the man probably already knew since Gazelle rarely kept things from him. That and the man had already felt Harry’s feelings towards Eggsy. It wasn’t going to come as a surprise and, considering the man hadn’t said anything before, he couldn’t see him saying anything now. Chester, on the other hand, could be a problem. He was sure the man probably had an inkling of his feelings for Eggsy - considering Harry  _ had  _ stopped a test for Eggsy - but that didn’t mean the man was going to be okay with Harry’s choice. 

Eggsy leaned softly against Harry’s chest, feeling  _ a lot  _ more nervous than Harry himself, because he didn’t know the two other kings as well, nor had he any idea of what exactly they could do to stop Harry from marrying him. All he knew was that Chester hated his guts, and Valentine seemed to be pretty okay with him as a guard, but he had no idea how the man would react to now Eggsy being Harry’s consort. 

The position of consort was significantly higher in the vampire circles, and it brought a lot of political power with it. It was also a public office, which meant Valentine - who already had his doubts about Eggsy’s loyalty - might not deem it wise for him to marry Harry. 

So, all in all, Eggsy was bloody worried. 

A knock at the door alerted both of them, and Harry pulled away to answer the door. There one of the maids bowed her head and informed him that the two kings were on their way to the study. Harry thanked her, before turning to face Eggsy, a small encouraging smile on his face. 

Harry waited by the door, opening it before Valentine and Chester could knock. Harry hid his schock to see Gazelle there as well, but he shot her a grateful look when the other two kings weren’t looking.

Chester half froze once he walked in, not bothering to hide his surprise to see Eggsy there. “I was under the impression that whatever matter you wanted to discuss was highly important. Do you really think it wise to have one of your guard here for it?” 

Harry approached Eggsy, not yet touching him as he turned to face the two kings. “This discussion is about a personal matter, Chester, and it involves Eggsy. So yes, I do think it important for him to be here.”

Chester opened his mouth to answer, but, after a light breeze entered the room from the open window, he closed it. He narrowed his eyes, breathing in Harry’s new scent. “Please tell me my sense of smell is deceiving me,” Chester said in a low, almost pleading tone. 

Harry did not grimace, but it was a near thing. He might argue with Chester nine out of ten times they saw each other, but Chester had been a dear friend of his grandfather’s, and Harry loved the man dearly. He had known Chester for too long not to respect and cherish the man, despite their gigantic differences. 

Harry knew that, while old-fashioned, Chester always had the clans’ well-being in mind, so while his anger meant nothing to Harry, his disappointment always managed to make Harry feel a bit bad.

“It is not,” Harry said after a few seconds, taking a step forward, as if to shield Eggsy. “I asked you both to come here, as I have found my mate.” 

Chester brought his hands up to rub at his temples while Valentine looked slightly unimpressed, but mostly kept his composure. Gazelle, on the other hand, smiled at the new couple. 

“Harry… he’s a fledgling, and a newborn fledging at that” Chester said slowly, scowling at Gazelle’s happy expression. “He is not an acceptable option to be your consort.” 

“Chester, with all due respect, I don’t care whether it is acceptable or not. He is a perfect match. Even you cannot dispute the wisdom of biology, and, more importantly, I love him. You have had your mate for hundreds of years. You have tasted happiness I never have. Would you deny that happiness to me? Would you condemn me to another eight hundred years of loneliness?”

Chester had the decency to look a bit torn by Harry’s words, yet his eyes turned back to steel. “It’s not what I wish for you that matters here. At the end of the day, you are Alaric’s grandson. You are the head of a clan, and the head of the tripartite. Your duty is not to your own feelings, but to the needs and stability of your clan, and we both know that this… boy, is not what is needed right now.” 

“He might not be what the clans need, but he might be what Harry needs,” Gazelle suggested, not caring that both her husband and Chester were now glaring at her. “A mate offers stability, as you all well know. And, in time, Eggsy will serve as Harry’s anchor, which will allow him to more freely use his abilities. That then means that having a mate will make Harry even more lethal than he is now. It can actually be very beneficial for the clans - and for Harry’s rule - in the long term.” 

“I think… you may not have thought this through,” Valentine said honestly after a few quiet seconds. “And I don’t think your mate is ready for the expectations that will be placed on him - that he will have to live up to. However, I do remember what it’s like to live without a mate, and I also know you can’t control these things, so… despite my reservations, I will do my best to support you on this.” 

That seemed to be enough to finally anger Chester, who stood up without a word and left the room. 

Harry watched him leave with sad eyes, but he didn’t stop the older vampire, knowing the man needed a moment. 

“Well, that could have gone a lot worse,” Gazelle said lightly as she stood up from where she had sat next to her mate and she approached Eggsy. With a tight hug she said “Welcome to the family, Eggsy. I promise to help you figure out all the craziness that comes with being a king’s consort,” she said warmly. 

Eggsy felt himself relax for the first time since he had woken up that morning. “Thank you, Gazelle,” he said honestly. 

Harry watched them with a small smile, that soon disappeared once Valentine came to stand next to him. “Do you think Chester will ever accept this?” 

“No,” Valentine said honestly. “But he will come around, don’t worry. He will never like it, but he will respect your decision… eventually.” 

Harry nodded. “Let’s hope so. It won’t do us any good to keep fighting amongst the clans, not with the insurrection still in full rage.” 

Valentine nodded. “Speaking of which, I have a new report - of Chester’s clan - that you might be interested in seeing,” he said, which got the attention of both Gazelle and Eggsy. 

Harry nodded, rounding his desk to sit down. He looked towards Eggsy, his eyes longing, which prompted the younger man to move from Gazelle's side to Harry's lap. Harry seemed much happier with the arrangement and thus he turned to look at Valentine, his expression all business. “Shall we?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the month long wait. I was in exams and then I was moving to a different country because of a 6 month exchange program. So, yeah, I am currently not in the US and thus very busy, but I will try to keep a regular updating schedule. As always you can reach me on [tumblr.](ogkingsmanhartwin.tumblr.com)  
> For those of you that follow my [The golden circle fix-it fic,](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12198435) I will be updating that one in a day or two.


	33. Could it be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Just because something isn't a lie does not mean that it isn't deceptive. A liar knows that he is a liar, but one who speaks mere portions of truth in order to deceive is a craftsman of destruction.”   
> ― Criss Jami

Harry ran his hand up and down Eggsy’s back distractedly as he finished up reading the report, his frow burrowed with worry. Eggsy picked up the report from Harry’s hand and quickly began reading it as his mate turned slightly on their seat to properly face Valentine. 

“Is that all Chester sent to you?” He asked, sighing when Valentine nodded. “There’s… a lot of information that seems to be missing,” Harry noted, a little apprehensively.

“He said that’s all they gave him. Clearly, they haven’t been keeping as good a track as the other two clans and Chester never thought it important to enforce the whole record keeping thing,” Valentine explained with a long suffering sigh. 

Harry rolled his eyes and rubbed his eyes. “Great, so we’re no closer to discovering who within his Clan is to blame than we were a week ago before we asked for this report.” 

Valentine nodded in confirmation. “I’m afraid it’s time we inform Chester of our full suspicion as we will need to personally step in now. Also, it might be a good idea for Merlin to interview each noble, as he is our best lie detector.”

“I’m sure he won’t appreciate being called that, but yes, I think that might be the best way to handle them,” Harry agreed with a small smile. 

Eggsy said nothing as he continued reading, every bell in his head going off at the report in his hands. He had worked on enough cases to know when information was lost by accident or carelessness and when information was kept from him to skew or obstruct his perspective, and this looked dangerously like the latter.

“Can I keep this?” Eggsy asked Valentine, sounding as innocent as possible, as he didn’t want to panic the two Kings until he had more concrete information. He would need to do some research on his own, though he was not yet sure how. He’d have to meet with Kay to ask the man to help him. 

Valentine gave him a curious look but eventually nodded, saying “of course, I have another copy, so you can keep that one.”

“Thanks,” Eggsy said amicably as he placed the report on Harry’s desk, ignoring the questioning look his mate was sending him. Instead he wiggled slightly atop Harry to get himself more comfortable, before placing one of his hands atop of Harry’s heart as he said “you said we also needed to talk about the announcement.” 

Harry smiled and nodded. “As you know, now that we are mated, we do need to go through the formality of making Eggsy my consort,” Harry told Valentine, who nodded, albeit apprehensively. 

“I don’t know if now is the best time to proceed with something as time consuming as your nuptials, Harry. It’s not just your time it will consume, but everyone else’s. It will also divert attention from the real issue here, which is the insurrection,” Valentine reminded him. 

Harry nodded, holding back a sigh. “I am aware it is not an ideal time, but I am not saying we are going to be married tomorrow. I was thinking more along the lines of a year or two, which gives us enough time to deal with the problem at hand.” 

“You think this will be resolved within the year?” Valentine asked, sounding a little skeptical. 

Harry seemed to be unfazed. “If it isn’t resolved within the year, then that means we will have failed in our duty. When was the last time an insurrection lasted longer than five years? We are already at year four, Valentine. We have been slow to react to give them time to see the error in their ways, but the insurrection is only getting larger, and now it involves members of our own nobility. I think you’ll agree with me when I say it’s time to crush this and make of it an example much like we did with Robert’s rebellion.” 

Valentine’s lips twitched in a half smile as he remembered the very bloody way Harry had handled Robert and his men over five hundred years ago, shortly before Harry’s mother had decided to finally go into her final rest and about a hundred years after Harry had assumed the throne.

Robert, a human who had coincidentally been a friend of Harry’s mother, had stirred up people and vampires outside the clan to rise up against the vampires. He had given the then insurrection rather personal information about the still young king and his dear mother. 

Of course, what the hadn’t expected was for Harry to decide to use them as his lab rats when it came to testing the limits of his powers. He had gone alone with Merlin to “dialogue” with the leader of the resistance, only to come back bathed in human and vampiric blood, with Merlin behind him, both men clearly shaken by the atrocities committed by Harry - still the gruesome tactics had worked in their favor. They had been able to strike a fear so great in the hearts of the humans that they had been able to sign a treaty where humans and vampires would divide their territory and each would be protected from the other.

A treaty that still held today.  

The man had never told Valentine exactly what had gone down that night, or what it was that he had done, but of what little Valentine knew, Harry had pushed himself to the brink, and, had Merlin not been there, they might have lost him to the craze and destruction that came with his powers. Valentine, however, had at least somewhat of an idea of what had happened, as it had been Harry who had brought him in when Valentine had decided he had had enough of humans and had gone on a killing rampage. Harry had been but two hundred years old - a teenager, really, in vampire years - but he had been the most ferocious enemy Valentine had ever faced.

It hadn’t been a walk in the park for Harry, but, after a long and arduous fight he had been able to bring a badly bleeding Valentine to his knees. The man had by no means used the full extent of his powers, but Valentine had felt a more than generous amount and it had scared him. 

Still, Harry wasn’t particularly proud of that crushing win, and Valentine knew the man still felt horribly guilty over it. Valentine wasn’t sure if it was because of Harry’s own sense of guilt when it came to life or because that had been the thing that had made Harry’s mother actually utter the words “you’re no son of mine”. 

The woman had never quite forgiven Harry for using his powers in such a way that reminded her so much of Alaric’s own dark days, and, considering less than fifty years later she had felt too tired to go on, she hadn’t exactly left Harry with the best memories. That was something Merlin had never forgiven her for, but the man did an admirable job of not showing his emotions, especially when Valentine could feel so much rage coming from Merlin every time the woman was mentioned. 

So, all in all, it was very surprising for Valentine to hear Harry reference the massacre. Perhaps it was because Harry was so intent on dealing with this once and for all before it could truly affect his mate, or perhaps we was starting to accept that his powers were a good way to keep people in line. Either way, Valentine was interested to see where life took the man next. 

“I think we might also be able to catch them quicker if we release our happy news now. They will assume we are  busy with the wedding and that I am distracted. Since I don't plan on starting any arrangements until at least the end of the year, we will be able to quickly pick up on any irregularities. I was

thinking of releasing a formal statement to the clans later today. It will take about two days to make the rounds. After that we can also make a formal press release that the human media can use to announce my upcoming nuptials,” Harry explained as formally and calmly as possible, all the while keeping his hand on Eggsy's back as he rubbed small circles on the young man's covered skin. 

Eggsy fought not to squirm in his seat as Harry's hand continued to go lower with every passing phrase. He had no idea what the man was planning or why he was allowing himself to be so publicly indecent, considering the man's hand was now fully on Eggsy's rear, but it was turning the younger man on which was not good because he then couldn't pay attention. 

Valentine's lips twitched again. “Very well, we will support your announcement once you make it. I will keep our personal line open in case you quickly need to reach me. I’m going to give Valentine a day, and see if he calms down on his own. You should also go give a visit to the werewolves. Our peace with them is tenuous at best, and the insurrection is starting to affect them too. They will turn on us if we don't give them answers.”

Harry sighed, distaste clear in his features. “I will make the trip tomorrow. That way I can be back by the end of the week, before the formal meeting with the Nobles.”

Eggsy's eyes grew wider at the news that apparently his mate was going to be leaving the safety of the palace to talk to the mutts,  _ for almost 4 days,  _ by the man's count.

Eggsy didn't hear what Valentine said next, nor did he pay much attention as they all said their goodbyes, too busy being horrified at the prospect of his mate leaving. This would be the first time since the mating that they would spend time truly apart.

Eggsy wasn't sure he was ready for it.

“You’re leaving, then?” He asked sullenly as Harry closed the door to his study. 

Harry turned back to find Eggsy perched on the edge of his desk, his brow furrowed. He gave himself lover a small, apologetic smile and nodded. 

“I will be back before you can miss me,” Harry said sweetly, coming to stand in between Eggsy's parted legs. 

Eggsy rested his head against Harry's chest with a sigh. “I don't think you understand how quickly I’ll start missing you,” he mused, half in jest, as Harry once again began rubbing circles down Eggsy's back.

“I’m sorry, it’s unavoidable,” Harry said with a sigh as he brought his hand up to place it under Eggsy’s chin to tilt it up. 

Eggsy stared into Harry’s eyes, giving him a small smile before Harry caught his lips in a ferocious kiss. Eggsy moaned, shivering violently as Harry brought his hands down and squeezed his buttocks. They hadn’t been intimate since the morning after Eggsy’s heat, which had been well over a week ago. 

It hadn’t been over a lack of want, or at least Eggsy hoped not, but between their busy schedules, and the tense few days they’d had since Eggsy had become Harry’s mate as the man constantly second guessed their decision, they hadn’t exactly found an opportunity. 

But at the moment no one seemed to be barging in wanting to talk to Harry and, for once, the man wasn’t beating himself up over the fact that he had indeed taken Eggsy as his mate. 

Harry finally released Eggsy’s mouth, leaving the boy slightly dizzy with desire. Harry quickly ripped Eggsy’s robes open kissing his way down the young man’s chest as he pushed Eggsy a little back on the desk to avoid him falling. He continued ripping away the boy’s clothes, leaving him naked on the desk soon enough. Eggsy wrapped his legs around Harry’s torso then to bring the man’s pelvis closer to his own to be able to grind his own growing erection against Harry’s clothed one.

The man groaned in pleasure against Eggsy, burying his face in the crook of the younger man’s neck as Eggsy pulled slightly on the man’s lucious set of hair. Once Harry looked back up, clearly wanting to kiss Eggsy again, Eggsy leaned away as he ripped Harry’s pristine suit open, pushing the man back on his chair as Eggsy slithered his way to the floor to rest in between the man’s legs. He quickly undid the man’s belt and zipper, all but yanking down the man’s pants to reveal his clothed member. 

Harry leaned back against his comfortable armchair, his eyes filled with lust. He ran his hand through Eggsy’s hair as the boy looked at him, inching closer and closer to Harry’s erection. He kept his eyes on Harry as he slowly, painfully slowly, brought his lips to first kiss the head of Harry’s cock. The man let out a shuddering breath and tightened his hold on Eggsy’s hair as the boy finally opened his mouth and took Harry in. 

Harry leaned his head back as he moaned, letting Eggsy set up a painfully slow rhythm that allowed the boy to suck hard on each stroke. Harry forced himself to look down, the sound of Eggsy slurping a little too much for his hay wired brain. Why he thought looking down would do him any good, he had no idea, because the image in front of him did little to calm him down. 

Eggsy was clutching Harry’s thigh with his left hand, his legs fully splayed open despite his bent position. Harry frowned slightly, unsure of what Eggsy was doing as the young man ripped away his robes with a single hand. Understanding soon came to Harry, however, as Eggsy pulled away for a second from his cock to suck on his fingers. Once the two digits were properly slobbered up, Eggsy went back to his ministrations, only this time he began teasing himself with his fingers, pushing softly at his rim. 

It was simply obscene, and Harry knew he would not be able to last if Eggsy kept it up. In a second, once he had made his decision, Harry pushed the young man back up on his feet, pressing Eggsy’s face against the now messy desk and splaying open his legs with a light kick of his foot.  

Harry bent down over Eggsy, biting his earlobe softly before saying “You beautiful mix.”

Eggsy moaned as Harry, who thankfully had lube in his bureaux and thus had already slicked up his fingers, pushed a finger in, all the while rubbing Eggsy’s dick with his other hand. Eggsy held onto the desk as Harry pushed another finger in quickly, clearly starting to lose his cool. He mouthed at Eggsy’s neck as he prepared him, drinking in each of Eggsy’s desperate whines. 

“Fuck me,” Eggsy said breathily as Harry added a third finger, unsure whether it was an expletive, a plea, or a command. 

Harry didn’t seem to be sure either, but little did he care as he finally pulled his fingers out, spread Eggsy’s legs open a little wider and viciously thrust in all the way to the hilt, making Eggsy scream out both in pleasure and pain. 

Eggsy’s hold on the desk tightened as Harry set a rough pace, his more unhinged side coming out to play. Harry let go of Eggsy’s cock, instead bringing his hands up to wrap them atop of Eggsy’s, completely covering the younger man’s body as he fucked into him with hard, deep thrusts.

Eggsy, who had been near the edge, whined his displeasure, knowing that he couldn’t even guide Harry’s hand back to his cock as the man’s hands were pinning him to the - quickly denting - table. Eggsy moved his head to the side, exposing his neck in submission to see if Harry reacted to it, if he gave Eggsy the one thing Harry knew would help push the fledgling over the edge. 

His simple act did the trick, for the older vampire groaned in pleasure and sunk his canines deep into Eggsy, giving the boy the final push he needed to come. Harry pulled away from Eggsy’s neck after he had a few long gulps, licking at the wound to close it before Eggsy could get too light headed. His thrusts did not let up however, not even when Eggsy squirmed underneath him as the punishing thrusts began to grate on his oversensitivity. 

Eggsy bit his bottom lip and began grinding his hips back as Harry slammed his forward, offering Harry the resistance he needed to go deeper. It made the young man ride that hard line of overwhelming pleasure and sensitivity, and he had to keep himself from both thrusting back too hard or from getting Harry off him. He wanted the man to come inside him, and if that meant enduring a little longer, then Eggsy was more than willing. With one final roll of Eggsy’s hips, Harry’s hips stuttered and his lips parted open as a silent cry came out alongside the man’s hot thick spurs of come. 

After the man was finish riding out his orgasm, Harry pulled away, helping Eggsy turn to face him. “I… sorry, did I hurt you?” Harry asked, looking quite contrite. “I lost myself to the pleasure for a bit there,” he admitted, cradling Eggsy’s cheeks carefully.

“Of course you didn’t hurt me. Fuck, Harry, that was so damn hot,” Eggsy said shamelessly as he rose to his tiptoes to kiss his mate, shuddering when the man brought his hand back down to touch at Eggsy’s hole, which was still wet and full with Harry’s come. 

“Fuck, you’re so dirty,” Eggsy breathed out with delight as he buried his head on Harry’s neck, taking his turn to bite his partner. 

Harry sighed with pleasure and moved his head a little more to the side, letting Eggsy drink his fill as he held the boy close, to keep them both upright. The boy did not drink much, knowing his mate would need all his energy if he was going to go deal with the werewolves. It was better if this time it was Harry that drunk more than him. He was sure the man would make it up to him the next time they saw each other. 

Harry picked Eggsy up bridal style then, offering the boy one of his trademark gentlemanly smiles. “Well then, I think this calls for a shower and, perhaps, a nice quiet evening in our chambers.” 

Eggsy grinned at the man and nodded, leaning down to rest his head against his mate’s chest. “Will you stay home until tomorrow?” 

“I have to leave before light breaks,” Harry said with a sigh, kissing the top of Eggsy’s head. “But, that means we still have a few hours.” 

* * *

Eggsy woke up with a start, sighing softly as he rolled onto Harry’s side of the bed. The man had left a few hours ago already, waking Eggsy up and giving him one sweet kiss before leaving. Eggsy ran his hands down the sheets, smiling softly at the memory of the kiss. At least his mate was starting to understand that he needed to involve Eggsy a little more in his life. 

Eggsy was sure that a week ago the man would have left without waking Eggsy up, probably not wanting to bother the young man or some bullshit like that, which would have only led to a fight. But now he knew Eggsy much preferred saying goodbye in the morning than having the love of his life leave without saying goodbye. Now he just needed Harry to understand that he needed to trust Eggsy both as his anchor and as a partner that wasn’t about to leave or, worse, die. 

Still, baby steps. 

Eggsy got up then, looking around the room for clothes to put on. Now that he was up, and without any real thing to do, he wanted to concentrate on the report again. It still made no sense to him, and he knew he needed to do a little more investigation. His mate didn’t have enough have time to figure out why the report wasn’t as it should be, and, truth be told, both Valentine and Harry seemed a little too trusting of Chester’s ability to find the culprit in his clan. Eggsy wasn’t so convinced. If the man really was that good, he would have already found the culprit, but it had been over four years, and only now were they finding out it was a noble. 

None of this sat well with Eggsy and, if there was one thing he was good at, was at solving puzzles such as this. This had been the basis of his job for years.

With that thought in mind, he made his way to Kay’s office. He knew the man had most probably left with Harry as part of the king’s personal security detail, but perhaps he would get lucky and find Kay’s capable second there. He knew he could technically go to Merlin, whom he was sure was somewhere in the castle, but, truth be told, he didn’t want the man to give him a lecture or forbid him from going through with the plan currently tumbling around in his mind. 

The man was a bit like Harry; an overprotective control freak. Which, honestly, was a great quality in Merlin when it came to protecting his brother and a great quality in Harry when it came to protecting his people, but Eggsy wasn’t a huge fan of said traits turning to focus on him. He didn’t like being protected to the point that he couldn’t have a life anymore, but he understood why it was so important for him to be safe, hence why he hadn’t complained - yet. 

“Kay!” Eggsy said with surprise as the door to the man’s office opened with Harry’s captain of the guard on the other side. “What… I thought you left with Harry!” 

“I was going to, but then his Majesty insisted that I stay here with you, Prince Gary. My second accompanied the King, alongside a full hunting party,” Kay said with a sigh, clearly resentful of his king’s orders.

Eggsy froze. “Prince Gary? What are you on about mate? I ain’t no prince, also I don’t like Gary.” 

Kay raised a perfect brow. “You are the king’s consort, that means the title of prince will be assigned to you as soon as the marriage is official. However, that is merely a ceremony. Harry has already circulated the memo around all three clans. You might not be officially married to him yet, but you are to be treated as you would be in your official role starting today. You may as well get used to being called a prince, because that is what you will be for the rest of your existence.” 

Eggsy scrunched up his nose in distaste but  did not fight the man further than that. “Right… well can you please address me as Eggsy when it’s just the two of us? I get it, public image and whatever, but, mate, when it’s just us there ain’t no image to maintain, yeh?” 

Kay sighed, but gave Eggsy an indulgent smile as he nodded. “As you wish, your highness, now, what can I do for you?” 

“I… need your help with something. Can we talk inside though?” Eggsy asked as he looked around the hall, making it clear he didn’t want others listening in. 

Kay frowned with worry but nodded, quickly ushering Eggsy in. Once he slammed his door shut he turned to face the King’s consort. “What’s the matter Eggsy?” 

“Have you read the report that Chester’s clan sent us?” Eggsy asked, trying to sound as innocent as possible. 

Kay’s frown only deepend. “Yes, I have. It is a useless piece of paper. Why do you ask?”

“Exactly for that reason. Look, Kay, I used to work for MI6. I know when someone is trying to conceal information. I don’t know who is the one that sent us the report, but whoever it is clearly has already been paid off by the traitor. We need to get the real records, and we need to get them to tell us who edited the documents.”

Kay came around to sit back on his armchair. “How do you propose we do that? Chester himself ordered the documents. If they tampered the documents before they reached him, then asking again will do nothing. Besides, it will rise suspicion and we need to keep this quiet.” 

Eggsy nodded. “Hence why I’m here?” 

Kay looked confusedly at Eggsy. “I’m not sure I’m following you.” 

“I want you to accompany me to Chester’s castle. We might have to get through the man so he’ll help us, but we need to see the register. These are all just copies. Unless they have redacted the originals, the record should still be intact. And, even if they have redacted the record, the record keeper will probably know what happened. But we need to do this today, before we lose the trail,” Eggsy explained, a sense of urgency in his voice. 

Kay shifted uncomfortably on his seat. “Eggsy… this could be a very dangerous mission. I can’t place you at such high risk, and if we go it could only be us two to avoid being noticed. It is too great a risk.” 

“Kay, you are Kingsman’s best agent, and I was top of my class both in MI6 and here. Not to mention, worse comes to worse, I burn anyone that tries to harm me,” Eggsy said encouragingly, giving Kay his best puppy eyes. 

The man rolled his eyes. “Flattery will get you nowhere boy. Besides, what happens if you lose control? I am not your anchor, and his Majesty is too far away to be of any help to you.” 

“Are you willing to put your king’s life at risk because you are afraid I might get hurt?” Eggsy asked, using the most powerful card in his hand. “I am not a royal yet, Kay. And yes, I might be Harry’s unofficial husband, but I am  _ not  _ as important as the king, and they’re all aiming to kill him. Surely you agree with me that we must protect him?” 

Kay bit his lip and sighed. “If you die… it will be just like signing a death sentence for my king as well, Eggsy. I don’t think you understand how strong the love for a mate is.” 

“I understand just fine, thank you” Eggsy said, feeling his anger flare up at the implication that he didn’t love Harry as much as the man loved him. “Which is exactly why I need you to help me protect my husband. Look, kay, I am going with or without you. I am just giving you the option to come with me and protect me to keep Harry happy.” 

The man offered Eggsy a small smile, clearly amused by the boy’s spunk. “Very well, then, Eggsy, let’s go.”

* * *

“Fuck, this castle is creepy,” Eggsy breathed out quietly enough for only Kay to hear. 

The man chuckled and nodded, but said nothing else, as a few guards were approaching them. They had not given any notice of their coming, and they had left in the afternoon to reach Chester’s castle by Dawn. It would have probably been faster to run, but then that would have meant potentially having to stay a night in Chester’s castle to avoid sunlight, and Eggsy was not about to stay in the man’s castle.

Hence why, after giving their names, they had been forced to wait at the entrance with two very unfriendly looking guards. Eggsy did his best to ignore them as the other two approached, looking just slightly less unhappy than the ones that had stayed with them. 

“Our king is currently not in the castle, so he’s not here to receive you. I am afraid you will have to return when he comes back. He did not give us a return date, but you can try in a week’s time,” the man said, his tone polite but firm. 

Eggsy smirked, his eyes turning dangerous as he grew more and more annoyed. “Ah, it’s a shame that he isn’t here, I’d have loved to say hi, but that’s fine. I am not here to speak to Chester anyway. I am here to speak with his record keeper and a few noblemen, but that comes later. For the moment I just need you to point the way and we’ll be out of your hair in no time.” 

The man clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes. “You have no authorization to check the records. Furthermore, why would you need them? You must-”

“My business with this clan’s records is none of your concern,” Eggsy replied sharply, rising up to full height. “As for your request of precious authorization, I come on behest of my mate, His Majesty King Hart, of the sanguis clan,” Eggsy said, bringing his left hand out of his pocket to reveal his ring. He brought the same hand to his coat, opening it to reveal the long pendant with Harry’s family crest. “Now, I believe I have been more than patient and civil. So, unless you prefer I switch tactics and have you beheaded for insubordination, you will take me to your record keeper,” Eggsy said sweetly, his eyes promising fire and retribution. 

The guard gaped at him, clearly not having expected to find himself at odds with who was probably the second most powerful person in the clans by virtue of his position as Harry’s mate. Eggsy might not like the title he now had, but he wasn’t a fool; he knew how much power such a title brought. 

“Of course, your royal highness, I apologize. Please follow me,” the man said after a few seconds, still looking like he wanted to kill Eggsy but knowing he could do little to the boy without losing his head. 

Kay held back a snort as he followed Eggsy closely behind, knowing that the guards’ eyes were on him, and on his elegant yet deathly uniform, which was adorned by a similar pendant to the one Eggsy was wearing, except Kay’s was silver as opposed to gold, revealing their different stations. The guardsmen in Chester’s castle knew exactly who Kay was, which in turn also made Eggsy all the more precious, because it was a known fact amongst the clans that while Kay made sure every single member of the royal family was protected by the best of the guard, his personal services of protection were solely rendered to the King. 

Merlin had handpicked Kay to lead the guard - thus making him Merlin's second in command. He had also handpicked Kay to protect Harry; thus, considering  Merlin was said to be the single greatest strategist alive, and was also Harry's right hand, everyone knew Kay was the most capable defender. It was extremely rare to see Harry without Kay by his side, ready to step in and decimate whoever dared approach his King. 

So to see Kay here now, next to Eggsy as opposed to Harry, meant that the King favored Eggsy above all others, making Eggsy untouchable - that is, if they wanted the King to let them live.

The guard took them deep within the castle, the halls getting more and more creepy as they went on. Still, Eggsy made sure to keep his face free of emotion, only giving the guard a nod in acknowledgement when he finally dropped them off at the archive. Eggsy waited until the man was out of sight to open the door and let himself and kay in, giving a smile to the vampire that sat at the front desk. 

“Good Evening,” the old vampire said tentatively, closing the book in his hands. “I… am afraid I have not had the pleasure of meeting you two before, are you part of a different clan?” 

Eggsy smiled more genuinely then, appreciative of the man’s manners. Before he could answer, however, Kay stepped up and gave the man a courteous nod. “Good Evening Mr. Rodbart. I believe you and I have met before. My name is Kay, I am Kingsman’s Captain, and this is Prince Gary - His Majesty, King Hart’s betrothed.” 

The man’s eyes widened considerably. “My! I had no idea His Majesty was getting married soon, oh happy news!” The man said, giving Eggsy a benevolent smile. “The road you are about to take will be harsh, as it always is for a King’s consort, but I wish you both all the happiness in the world.” 

“Thank you, Mr. Rodbart,” Eggsy said, genuinely touched. He had not expected to find someone this nice in Chester’s clan. 

“I assume this isn’t just a friendly visit, though,” the man said with a chuckle. “The only one that used to come to visit me at least once a week is Percival and he…” suddenly the man stopped speaking, looking too sad to continue. “Right… well, how can I be of service, your highness?” 

“You know Percival?” Eggsy asked, his eyes widening with surprise. 

“Percival is King King’s nephew,” Kay explained to Eggsy. “He… decided to part way with his clan some twenty or twenty five years ago, I can’t quite remember. His Majesty King Hart reached an agreement with the King of the Metus clan to spare Percival’s life, but he couldn’t keep Percival in the clans.”

“He was a wonderful boy,” the man said, his eyes far away. “I met him when he was but a babe. He would come and study here when he was little. I used to teach him all sorts of things… and then as he grew older he would come and hide here to avoid the King,” the man said, smiling indulgently at the memory. “He cared so much about his people… but he disagreed with my master on many things… including our relationship with humans. I wonder what became of him,” the man ended with a sigh, his hands trembling slightly.

Suddenly the man froze. “I… shouldn’t have said any of that. I… It’s not that I dislike my king, I-” 

“It’s alright,” Eggsy said immediately, reaching forward to squeeze the man’s hand. “I won’t tell anyone. Besides, just between us, I don’t particularly like Chester and, as someone that  _ has _ seen Percival within the past few days, I can assure you he is alright.”

The man gaped. “You have?” 

Eggsy nodded, and smiled at the man. “I will see him again soon, in fact. So, if you maybe wanna write to him, I can make sure he gets the letter,” Eggsy offered, the man’s obvious tender love and care for his mentor too clear to see. 

“I couldn’t ask you to put yourself in danger for me like that, your highness. If my master finds out-”

“Your master as you call him is currently out. Besides, what I do with my time is none of his concern. But, if it makes you feel better, we can reach an agreement. I need to check the records you store here. We’ll call it a favor for a favor.” 

The man smiled at that and nodded. “Very well, Prince Gary, it will be my honor to exchange favors with you. Please, do come with me. I will show you to our records.” 

The man opened a large golden door with a key he kept hanging around his neck, allowing Kay and Eggsy to follow him to the back of the archives. 

“Kay, I trust you know how the record keeping system works. I will be up front writing my letter, if you need me,” the man said jovially, quickly making his way back to find some parchment and a pen. 

“I need to review the records of the past six years,” Eggsy said, knowing an insurrection of the size and scale they were facing didn’t form overnight. “I also want to check the log for people visiting the castle.” 

Kay nodded, not even questioning what Eggsy was asking for. The man quickly set to work, pulling out book after book for Eggsy to peruse. It took about ten minutes, but soon both men were sitting together at the largest table, bent over twenty different thick tomes filled with information. 

Eggsy sucked in a breath, the book he was holding falling on his lap. “Mr. Rodbart! I have a quick question,” the boy called out, standing up and grabbing kay with one hand and the book with the other. 

They returned to the front, dropping the book on the table in front of the man. “All these logs, are they accurate?” 

The man bent over and checked the book, nodding after a few seconds. “Yes, anything written in those books is correct.” 

“When the King asked you for the reports that had to be sent to the other two clans, did he specifically ask you to remove all these? Also, did he ask you to redact the reports of the past four years?” 

The man frowned. “He told me not to send the logs of any visitors we have received, as he said that wasn’t important. As for any other reports kept of the past four years, he said he would personally send the information, so I have no idea if he did redact them or not. He probably did, as there is a lot of useless information there. I checked the tomes when he returned them as I always do, but I didn’t see any pages missing, so he did not alter the originals. Why?” 

Eggsy turned slowly to face Kay, finding the same horror he was feeling in the man’s eyes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as alway, sorry for the delay, but between 3 fics that need to be updated and life i never catch a break lol


	34. Betrayal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The worst pain in the world goes beyond the physical. Even further beyond any other emotional pain one can feel. It is the betrayal of a friend.”   
> ― Heather Brewer

“Are ya thinkin’ the same thing I’m thinkin’?” Eggsy half whispered, his eyes trained on Kay. 

“Mr. Rodbart, are there any cameras in here,” Kay asked quietly enough that no voice recording device would be able to pick it up.” 

The man looked confused by the question. “I… yes? Every single room in this castle is under surveillance, as I imagine is yours.” 

Kay nodded stiffly, slowly and quietly pulling out a small, black, rectangular device. He touched the sides of the device, making a small button pop out in the middle and two spikey antenas pop up from the corners of the device. Before either of the other two men could ask Kay what he was doing, he clicked the middle button, and the device let out a humming sound as it began vibrating in his hand. A timer appeared on the small screen, counting down from five minutes. 

“We need to go, Eggsy,” the man said. “If… if our suspicions are right, then we need to get you out of here before Chester returns,” Kay said urgently then, though Eggsy did not miss the fact that he had just called Chester King by name. 

“We can't leave until we have more information,” Eggsy reasoned, picking up the book again. “We also need to take this back with us, Kay.”

“Forgive me, sir, but I am confused as to what is happening,” Rodbart said politely, looking expectantly at Eggsy. 

Kay sighed, rubbing his eyes, before bringing his hand to his earpiece. “Lancelot, Gawain, come in,” he said, much to Eggsy’s surprise. “We will be performing a stealth extraction. There are multiple assets, and we need to move quickly as we only have five minutes. My tracker has been turned on.” 

Having said that, Kay left the little device on top of the table and quickly moved back to the records room, picking up tome upon tome, bringing them all quickly to where Eggsy and rodbart were standing. He also took out a few books that he and Eggsy had not yet taken out, leaving many shelves empty. 

“You can’t take the records without my master’s permission,” Rodabart said, standing up with wild eyes. “Please, put those back before I am forced to report you.” 

“Your master might have committed treason, Rodbart. Treason against the clans is punishable by death - no matter what status you hold,” Kay half growled, throwing the last book on top of the rather large pile. “I am sorry, but whatever rules were in place are meaningless right now. He has kept information from the triad, and who knows what else. We need to get to the bottom of this; now, I know his clan tends to be more than a little forgiving of his actions, and will defend him to no end, but I will take this information back to the sanguis clan even if I have to kill my way through this castle,” Kay explained in no uncertain terms, finally unsheding his fangs. “Don’t make me have to kill you too. I respect you too much.” 

Eggsy placed his arm on Kay’s arm, half stepping in front of Rodbart. “There ain’t need for that, Kay. I am sure Mr. Rodbart will be more happy to help us, as he is loyal to the clans, right?” Eggsy said, turning to give the man a half pleading look. “I promise ya, we are not tryin’ to set up Chester. We are tryin’ to protect our people -  _ all  _ our people."

The man bit his lip, but nodded after a few seconds, choosing to trust Eggsy. While he knew nothing about the young man, he did know Kay and, if Percival trusted Eggsy, then the boy could not be a bad kid. “Of course, your highness, I am loyal first and foremost to the clans… regardless of personal outcome. You should hurry. If you are correct, and these records hold information that might prove that my king…” Rodbart shook his head, unable to even finish the thought.

Kay immediately stepped back, his offensive posture relaxing into a neutral stance. “I will have to ask you to come with us, as well. If you stay here, Chester will slaughter you for aiding us.”

The man gave Kay a small smile. “You will need someone to stall the guards, for if they see the documents gone, then the king will be warned. If he sends them after you, these records will never make it back to King Hart on time.” 

“I am not gonna let yeh die, not because Chester is a dick,” Eggsy said suddenly, his eyes changing color to reflect the now awakened fire inside him. “If they pursue us, we will take care of them.” 

The man’s eyes warmed. “Your majesty, I cannot possibly ask you to put yourself in danger for me.” 

“You ain’t askin’, bruv. I’m just tellin’ yeh, I ain’t leavin’ ya,” Eggsy said, a little more forceful this time. “Percival would ‘ave my arse if I left you here anyway,” Eggsy said with a wink, trying to alleviate the tension.

Before the man could respond, Gawain and Lancelot walked into the room, both men armed to the gills. Kay pointed to the books, not needing to say another word for the men to understand that those were their assets. They pulled out big black bags and quickly shoved all the tomes inside, distributing the bags between the two of them while Kay pulled out his own weapons. 

“Let’s go,” the man commanded as he walked out first to make sure the perimeter was clear. He was followed by Eggsy who grabbed Rodbart by the hand to keep him by his side. Lastly, the two other Kingsmen came out, bags in hands, looking fiercely determined. They moved as quickly as they could through the halls, coming to a halt when they reached the entrance door and came face to face with three guards. 

Kay moved before anyone could react, running towards the guards and snapping two of their necks before turning to the third guard and punching the man hard enough to send him crashing to the floor, unconscious. 

“I didn’t realize you could kill a vampire by breaking their neck,” Eggsy said, wincing slightly at the somewhat disturbing image. 

“You can’t,” Kay said calmly as he opened the door for everyone to rush out. “That will merely keep them unconscious for a few hours.”

All five men ran at top speed to the cars, throwing the bags in the trucks, before ushering Eggsy and his new guest into one of the two cars. Kay climbed on with them, taking the wheel, while Gawain and Lancelot went to the second car, waiting for Kay to leave first. They took off like the devil himself was chasing them, the timer counting down their precious minutes.

“What does that do exactly?” Eggsy said as he eyes the timer Kay was still holding with one hand. 

“It crashes their surveillance system with an emergency code that is automatically imputed when this device is activated,” Kay explained as he took a sharp turning, forcing Eggsy to hang on tightly to the car. “Put your seatbelt on!” The man chastised, giving a glare to his soon to be prince.

“So we have 2 minutes before they realize something is happening?” Eggsy asked trying to keep his tone light as he took out one of his own weapons. 

Kay nodded tensely. “It gives us enough of a headstart that we might be able to reach our border without having to compromise the assets,” Kay said as he sped up even further. “I need you to contact Merlin, and let him know what's happening. He needs to make sure King Valentine is warned and his Majesty needs to postpone the meeting with the lycans. We also need to have the guard get ready as, if Chester is truly betraying the clans, he might plan an all-out assault.”

Eggsy grimaced, hoping against hope that it would not come to that. “I… I’ll call him right now.”

* * *

“Close the borders and get the tomes to the antechamber!” Kay snarled as he got out of the car, his fangs out and his eyes murderous. He turned around then, weapons ready. 

The few minutes they had been able to buy themselves had been extremely beneficial, as it had given them enough of an edge to keep their pursuers far enough to not be shot at too much while driving. Lancelot had been forced to get out of the vehicle to hijack one of Chester’s cars, given that they had been closing in on Eggsy a little too fast for comfort.

He had not killed the three vampires inside, but rather he had incapacitated all of them, knowing that, until they had firm proof something was happening, they could not really go on a killing rampage. More importantly, while Lancelot knew Kay would do anything to finish his missions, Lancelot was a little more merciful than that; he didn’t know if the guards knew anything about Chester’s possible betrayal. To these men, it was Harry’s clan that had gone on the offensive. They were merely doing their jobs. He couldn’t fault them for that, hence why he didn’t want to kill them. 

Of course, it had become a little harder to keep them alive once they had reached their forest as they had become more aggressive in their pursuit, knowing that if they reached the castle there was no way they would be able to recuperate the records. 

Merlin jumped out of the highest tower of the castle then, his dark coat half floating behind him as he fell. He landed with utmost grace, both feet firmly planting on the ground. As soon as the man hit the ground, numerous Kingsman soldiers walked out of the castle, all of them wearing fighting gear. 

“There are five vehicles that have breached our borders, all belonging to the metus clan. I want every single person inside them to be captured and brought to me directly,” he commanded, his tone loud and clear for every vampire to hear. “If a single one of them makes it to this castle, you will all answer to me personally,” Merlin warned. “Now, Go!” 

All agents gave him a small bow before running off, the numerous agents breaking off into smaller squadrons who moved like one. 

Eggsy watched half in awe, almost unaware of Kay moving behind him with Lancelot and Lamorak to move the tomes - and Mr. Rodbart - into the castle. “Merlin-”

The man raised a hand as a sign to keep Eggsy quiet. Merlin straightened up, stretching his neck and closing his eyes. He took a deep breath, and allowed his fangs to come out, his eyes looking much more predatorial once he opened them again. Eggsy did not need to ask why the man had suddenly let his canines out, for a few seconds later, the first batch of Kingsman agents returned with five of Chester’s men.

“Lieutenant, call your forces off  _ now  _ or I will be forced to terminate them,” Merlin warned, approaching the man slowly. 

“Your clan just  _ stole  _ from us, and you want me to call my men off? You have betrayed the clans! You disgust me.” The man said furiously.

“Trust me mate, we’re not the ones betrayin’ the clans here,” Eggsy snorted. “We have found evidence that your precious clan leader might be helping the humans,” Eggsy told him. 

The man froze. “How dare you spew such lies, fledgling?” The man said furiously. “My king will have your head.” 

Merlin moved then, lifting the vampire up by his throat. “The boy does not lie, Malcolm. We have evidence as to his misdeeds,” Merlin said calmly, though his eyes were furious. “Furthermore, you will show him  _ respect _ , if you value your life. Am I clear?” 

The man relaxed after a few seconds, knowing it was futile to try to escape Merlin’s hold; it had been Merlin after all that had trained him - had trained all the Kingsmen - and there was yet a soldier, outside of Kay, capable of besting Merlin in hand to hand combat. “I don’t believe you. My king would never do that.” 

“Don’t worry child, evidence can be provided to you if that’s what you want. Now, call off your men. I would hate to have to kill my own Kinsgman agents because you are too stubborn to know when to give up. Your men are outnumbered and outskilled. Call it off,  _ now _ ,” Merlin asked again, his voice softening ever so slightly. 

Malcolm struggled with himself for a few more seconds, clearly looking at all his options, before realizing that, no matter what, this would end in the bloodshed of his own, as Merlin was correct; they were terribly outnumbered. “ _ Desino!”  _ the man yelled, looking furiously at Merlin as the man put him down. 

Not a minute after the man had uttered the fateful word, his twenty men made their way to the castle, all with their hands up in surrender. 

“Thank you, lieutenant,” Merlin said, his voice still cold. “You will all be brought down to the dungeons until we have had the time to review the evidence as we do not yet know just how many of Chester’s clan have turned their backs on the triad.”

His agents nodded, and each picked up one man, slowly making their way into the dungeons where they would no doubt keep a close eye on their current… guests.  

Kay walked out of the castle then, bowing deeply to Merlin. “Your Royal Highness, the evidence has all been gathered in His Majesty’s antichamber. Everything is currently being reviewed, and my men will be able to give us a full summary in a few hours’ time.” 

Merlin nodded, waving his hand as a signal that it was alright for Kay to straighten up again. “I have contacted King Valentine. He will be here by nightfall.” 

“And Harry?” Eggsy asked, unable to keep the worry off his voice. 

Merlin sighed. “My brother is still in a meeting with the werewolves. He won’t be able to come back until later but, we can call him tonight once Valentine arrives as he does not need to be here for the two of them to make a decision.” 

Eggsy nodded, his worry not dissipating one bit. “What if Chester tries to attack him now, since he is with the werewolves?” 

“Sir, please let me join my King on his trip. He will need more protection than the entourage he took,” Kay insisted, his eyes pleading. 

Merlin gave him a warm half smile. “I am afraid my brother made it very clear he wants you to stay here with Eggsy, Kay. He also doesn’t want more Kingsman joining him because it will raise suspicions amongst the wolves. He can’t afford to show weakness right now, my dear man.” 

“That doesn’t help me feel better at all,” Eggsy sighed, rubbing his temples. 

“It doesn’t make any of us feel better, but that is reality. Now come on, the faster we review the evidence, the faster we will know what the hell is going on,” Merlin said as he put his hand on Eggsy’s lower back, pushing him towards the castle doors.

“We should contact Percival,” Kay said, though he didn’t look too happy about this fact. “He will be a great help if this turns into a war.” 

“I already called him, he is already here. I will ask him to make his way to the antechamber,” Merlin assured the two, letting Eggsy walk there with Kay as he still had other things to do before he could join them in their research. 

Eggsy did not complain about Merlin ditching them, too concerned about his mate, his safety and the possible betrayal. Still, once they reached the antechamber, he forced himself to concentrate on the task at hand. He picked up one of the board markers the agents had brought and pulled a moving glass board towards his side of the table, quickly setting to work. 

So engrossed was he in his work that he did not hear Percival come in about half an hour later. The only thing that alerted him to the man’s presence was the sharp inhale of breath he unconsciously took when his eyes landed on Mr. Rodbart. 

“Impossible,” Percival said, swaying slightly in place as the older vampire suddenly turned from where he had been standing talking to Kay. 

Rodbart’s eyes widened with shock as he took in Percival, standing there by the door in his three piece suit, looking better than he had when he had been forced to run from the clans. 

“Percival?” He half whispered, his voice hoarse as he accidentally dropped the book he had in his hand. 

The man walked in then, his usual grace all but gone as he approached the much older vampire. He reached out but let his hand drop again, not quite daring to touch the man. “I… hello, sir,” Percival said, giving the man a tentative smile. 

“Oh, Percival,” the man said, a warm that lit up his eyes spreading softly. He grabbed Percival by the hand and brought him closer to hug him. “All these years… I have been so worried about you.” 

Percival let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding. “It’s good to see you too, sir. But what are you doing here?” 

“Because Chester is a fucking dickhead who might have betrayed the triad,” Eggsy replied easily, happy to see his former mentor so relaxed.

Percival raised a brow as he turned to look at Eggsy, finally turning his attention to the records the numerous agents were studying. “Is he… aiding the humans?”

Kay nodded, picking up a book and tossing it to Percival without looking at him. “Now that you are here, you might as well be useful. We need to condense all the information for the Kings.” 

“Wasn’t Harry going to check on the werewolves?” Percival asked, seemingly unbothered by Kay’s cold treatment. 

“He will be calling in tonight, once King Valentine arrives,” Kay explained as he picked up a marker and jotted a few more notes down. 

“Oh, the irony of it all,” Percival said to himself as he chuckled, giving his friend’s hand one last squeeze before walking towards Eggsy to help the boy with his findings. 

* * *

Valentine paced back and forth while Harry’s hologram remained sitting stone still, his fiery eyes unseeing. The hurt Eggsy could see in his mate's eyes, and the rage he could feel through their bond had a cold shiver running down his spine. It was clear Harry was taking this as a personal offence, not only to himself, but to the memory of his grandfather - whom Chester had been close friends with.  

“I want his head on a silver platter,” Valentine growled, energy cackling around him. “How dare he… after all these years… how  _ dare _ he?” He seethed again, fighting the urge to break something. 

Eggsy looked worriedly at his mate, who had yet to say something since they had presented the two men with all the information that showed just how deeply mixed up Chester was with the Human insurrection. “Harry… babe?” 

The man did not answer, instead he turned to look at his brother. “Merlin,” Harry said his voice cold and furious. “Blow the horn.” 

Merlin froze where he stood next to Eggsy. “Harry… are you sure?” 

The man raised a brow, clearly unimpressed by the question. “We have been betrayed by the head of the metus clan, and you are asking me if I’m sure?” 

“We will stand behind you,” Valentine said solemnly, giving his wife a nod. Gazelle stood then, her eyes giving away nothing as she walked towards the computer, inputting some sort of code. 

“Wait, what horn, what is happening?” Eggsy said, feeling more than a little frustrated that no one was telling him anything. 

“It is a signal our clan uses,” Merlin said, taking pity on the boy. “It is a declaration of open war, and it tells the clan to rally, as our forces will begin preparations to be deployed.” 

“So… you mean-”

“We’re going to war against the metus clan,” Valentine said, plain and simple. “If any of their clan members wish to join us, they know they are welcome to, but we will be eliminating anyone who stands with Chester.” 

“I will take a few more days to return to the castle,” Harry warned both of them as he stood, fixing his jacket. 

“Why?” Eggsy asked immediately, his heart in his mouth.

“I must go speak with the farseers,” Harry said with a sigh. "We will need their help to end this war quickly. If Chester is working with an army of fledglings, then he might have more of them than we have soldiers." 

Valentine gasped. “I thought they were dead! Have you kept them chained like your mother did all these years? And you call yourself a king?” 

Harry had the decency to look chagrined. “I… didn’t know where they were before. I knew they were alive but my mother made sure to hide their whereabouts from me. I found out only a few decades ago, Valentine, and my mother had made me swear not to free them when she found out I wanted to help. I-”

“They were imprisoned solely for being what they are!” Valentine thundered. “An entire group stripped of their dignity because your mother willed it so, when she did not even deserve the power she had as Queen!”

“Arguing right now will get us nowhere,” Merlin warned, though this seemed like an argument he himself had had with Harry, as he did not seem to disprove of Valentine’s words. 

“Do you honestly think they will help you, knowing you have left them to starve for  _ centuries _ ?” Valentine growled, turning to look at Harry with hard eyes. “If I were them I would rip your heart out of your chest and eat it.” 

“How colorful,” Harry said dryly. 

“Harry wasn’t alive when they were imprisoned. Angry or not, they were always loyal to his grandfather and - despite his fallings - Harry is  _ not _ his mother,” Merlin said calmly. “If he calls, they will come, though I doubt they will be very willing to follow you after that.” 

Eggsy sighed. “Can you please stop talking like everyone in this room know what you are talking about?” 

“The farseers are the first vampires,” Percival replied from where he stood leaning against the furthest wall. “Well, no, in truth, Harry’s grandfather was the very first Vampire, but the farseers came soon after. Vampires came to be almost two millennia ago, when a plague struck a town. The entire town, with the exception of Harry’s grandfather, died. The plague spread to other bigger towns, and, after it had ravaged thousands of people, it disappeared. In total, twenty people survived these plagues, but, by surviving them, their genes, we assume, mutated. They began thirsting for human blood just as they gained strength, speed and power. The myth says they were stronger than the vampires that were born later, but they all rallied behind Alaric Hart, who was able to control blood.” 

He stepped closer then, daring with his eyes for any of the other vampires to stop his story. “As they had children, and more vampires appeared as different sicknesses hit human towns, they grew in number, thus becoming a small kingdom. All the farseers trained hard, and became a renowned group of assassins that worked directly with the king. Some of those twenty, however, were not very happy to see Alaric rule, and four of them tried to oust him. He killed them, of course, but that made many people fear the farseers, because they were deemed to be somewhat untrustworthy and incredibly dangerous.” 

“So they were all imprisoned?” Eggsy asked, his eyes trained on Percival. 

This time, Merlin shook his head. “No, only four betrayed the King. The rest continued to serve him. They were the King’s closest friends. They were like family to him.” 

Eggsy frowned. “But then why are they imprisoned now?” 

“Harry’s mother never liked them,” Valentine said, his tone sounding resentful. “She loved humans a little too much and hated her own in equal amounts. Farseers had no qualms about killing humans while hunting. They did not kill them for sport, but they did consider them to be food and felt nothing towards them. She hated them all, said they were too crue, and wanted them gone, but she knew her father would never allow such a thing. Unfortunately for the whole lot of them, another four decided to betray the Sanguis clan when Harry’s mother took over.” 

“She did not inherit her father’s power, and she would have died too had he not intervened and saved her,” Merlin agreed. “She was pregnant with Harry at the time, so King Alaric took particular offense to their transgressions as everyone knew he intended his grandson to carry on with his line of power. Elvira - Harry’s mother - seized the opportunity and imprisoned all of the farseers without consulting her father.”

“Of what Chester told me, the King never forgave his daughter for that, but she also never revealed where she incarcerated them - or even if she kept them alive at all. No one has heard from them since,” Percival finished, his eyes sad as he turned to look at Harry. “That is one of the reasons Alaric divided the Kingdom into three - to keep Elvira in check. He turned to Chester and Valentine’s father for help.”  

Eggsy slowly turned to face his husband as well. “So… you knew where she had been keeping them?” 

Harry shook his head. “No, she hid that from me too. I only came by the information when I accidentally found one of her secret chambers. By then, though, many centuries had passed, and I was afraid what reintroducing them to the world meant. They do not see the world like you or I do. Their views are even more antiquated than Chester’s, and I… I was afraid the only way to contain them would be to use my powers, and I was hoping to avoid that at all costs,” Harry admitted. “But none of that matters now, the point is that yes, twelve of them are still alive and we will need their help if we want to get through this war with minimal losses.” 

Valentine shook his head, still looking disappointed in Harry. “I am not going to help you in this endeavour. I don’t think they will help, and I think it is cruel of you to ask for their help after your family has kept them in chains for this long.” 

Harry sighed and rubbed his eyes. “I am afraid… one does what one must in times of war. I will be wrapping my meeting with the lycans today. I will go to the farseers then.” 

“Wait, Harry, no you have to think about this. I can’t… what if they kill you?”

Harry gave his mate a tight smile. “Don’t worry my love. They might be strong, but I still have something which they do not; my grandfather’s powers.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay, but i hope you enjoy the chapter! i know this had a lot more backstory than some of you might want, but I find it important to explain who everyone is, haha.


	35. The Farseers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “The measure of a man is what he does with power.”  
> ― Plato

Harry stepped closer to the edge of the coast, taking a deep breath as he grimaced slightly. It was a lovely, clear day, which allowed Harry to see far into the horizon, where, some hundreds of miles away, stood a tall, dark castle. The gigantic structure was visible only to him, as he was wearing one of the two amulets his mother had hidden for so long. 

One, she had taken herself with into her eternal sleep. The other, she had left in her father’s care after the man had promised never to give it to Harry. Unfortunately for his mother, Harry’s father had left her diaries in her room for Harry to find when he had followed her to rest not soon after. He had left a way for Harry to choose whether he wanted to bring them back or not for, while his father had loved his mother, he hadn’t always agreed with the Queen. 

Very few had, which was probably one of the reasons she had chosen to sleep so early. 

Harry took a deep breath again, tightening his long coat around him. He also brought up his collar, the dark silky material coming up to his cheekbones, effectively hiding his profile. He bent his knees slightly, preparing himself for the jump. His dark red eyes suddenly lit up as his power vibrated within him, giving him the necessary strength to make the ridiculously long jump even for vampiric standards. 

He pushed hard against the ground, making the sand crack and give way just as he jumped. He half smiled as the air hit his face hard. The wind was no match against the power of his jump, enhanced by the power in his blood. He landed elegantly at the very edge of the bridge that led to the castle. He could feel the macabre energy keeping the castle sealed from view. While his mother had inherited nothing of his grandfather’s power, which was why the man had imbued his entire mana into Harry, she had developed one of her own; that of illusion.

She had hidden the castle with her power, leaving behind only twp amulets that could break through her power. Not even her death had been enough to bring down the barriers, conveniently for her. Harry walked past the bridge and the amulet began shining bright yellow, making everything more and more solid as he walked closer to the castle. 

He stopped at the front door, taking the amulet off with hesitant hands. A part of him was screaming at him to run away and not look back and another part of him wanted to just get this all over with. Still, he could feel his own powers starting to pulse softly underneath his skin due to his being on edge, which was not ideal for anyone. He didn’t need them to see him as even more of a threat than he already was in their mind. He needed to remain as calm as possible. These vampires had not seen the light of day in almost a thousand years; if anything, they needed some measure of understanding.

Harry opened the door slowly with the amulet, scrunching his nose with distaste at the strong humid and stale smell that hit him as soon as he opened the door. He was glad not to be human, if only because it meant he couldn’t throw up  like his stomach so desperately wanted to due to the sheer stench of and fermented blood. 

He closed the door behind him, and stood without moving in the middle of the large empty entrance. The castle was as quiet as a tomb, which did not help Harry feel more at ease. He let his eyes roam through dilapidated stone walls, taking note of every crack, and scorched mark. There was dry blood on the back wall as well. His eyes landed on the two set of long staircases that led to the second level, which was hidden from view by a thick faded curtain which Harry assumed had once been red. 

He took the steps one at a time, grimacing as even his extremely light steps were enough to make the stone creak and crack slightly under him. This castle had clearly not been maintained well at all; it felt like a breeze would be enough to bring it tumbling down. Harry pushed past the curtain and froze again. Here, unlike downstairs, the smell of dried blood was much more fresh. It had to be but a few months old, which made no sense to him, because these vampires had been locked here for centuries. His mother, if Harry knew her at all, had not left them any reserves of blood. And, even if she had, those would have been long gone by now. 

Hence why he had brought blood with him in the black sack he was carrying on his back. 

He walked deeper into the hallway, his eyes narrowing down on the pure silver door laden with spikes that were meant, no doubt, to keep the farseers at bay. There was no doorknob, nor any visible way to get the damnable thing to open, which annoyed Harry to no end, because this meant more work for him. He walked to the left, following the circular hallway that followed the side of the room. He touched the wall and made a face, feeling, even with the stone, a not so thin wall made of silver confining the vampires inside. He froze, however, when he saw a large chunk of the wall torn to pieces, leaving behind a relatively new looking piece of silver standing in its stead. The door-like piece did not match with the much older, much thicker silver, which made a chill run down Harry’s spine. 

This looked like a recently new job; it looked like someone had come into the castle, had opened the door, and had once again sealed it. 

Harry felt his mouth dry up as something akin to panic built inside him. He forced it down ruthlessly as he got closer to the wall. He pushed hard against it, making a rather large dent on it, but the metal did not fully give in. He sighed and half rolled his eyes, letting some of that restless energy inside him fly to his palms as he brought his arm back and the quickly forward with a palm extended.

The hit was enough to send the metal flying to the other end of the room, clattering loudly as it hit the spiked door. Harry waited for the dust to settle somewhat to walk in, freezing when he came face to face with 5 pale and sickly emaciated vampires, instead of twelve. They looked more like corpses than actual vampires; their breaking skin barely holding on to thin bones and sunken faces. There was not a single drop of color in them, and their fangs where out, the sharp teeth looking unsharpened and brittle with disuse. All five of them looked weakly up at Harry, their red eyes having gone black due to hunger. Harry could see marks on their arms where his mother had no doubt placed the silver in their bodies to keep them chained to the walls. 

They were no longer tied to the walls, however, and there were many chains on the floor, as well as spilt blood, where he assumed the other vampires had been chained.

Harry felt sick to his core, both because of the unanswered question looking at him straight in the face and because of the disgusting treatment his mother had had these creatures endure. 

“Ah, so you must be Al’s grandson,” one of the vampires rasped, grimacing as he forced himself to stand. He had long brown hair that looked dry and dead. His cheeks, which Harry assumed had once been full, were not no more than bone and a slight layer of skin. “You’re too late, I’m afraid,” the man said tonelessly, as he leaned back against the wall for support. 

While the man’s words alarmed Harry, he let them rest for the moment, feeling far too sick at seeing their state of being. He quickly opened the bag he was carrying, not caring for a second that these creatures might actually end up being against him. He could not let their suffering go on, not when he knew it was his own family that had landed them here. He opened each blood bag, knowing they were too weak to do so, and passed it to them one by one wordlessly. 

They immediately began drinking with no finesse and with a hunger than frankly made Harry’s skin crawl. They ran through Harry’s entire stock, and yet they still looked virtually no better than before. 

“I thought… I… I was led to believe there were twelve of you,” Harry said, looking at the vampire who was still weakly leaning against the wall. 

“There were,” the man said, his eyes unreadable. “You, however, are not the first vampire to come here in the past nine hundred years since our imprisonment began,” he said, his eyes hardening at that. 

Harry frowned, feeling dread well up inside him. “But… that’s impossible. My mother left no instructions as to how to find you. Hell, I didn’t even know you were even alive up until a few decades ago.” 

“And yet when you found out you didn’t come,” a woman said from where she sat on the floor, glaring daggers at Harry. She looked up at Harry, her fiery red hair, now opaque and lackluster, moving softly with her. “You are just like her, aren’t you boy? Hateful towards your own... I can smell your shame.” 

“Believe me, it is not vampires I am ashamed of, right now,” Harry said stiffly. “I… had no idea she had gone this far. If I had known-”

“Spare me,” another vampire said with a snort as he stood up, looking weaker and much older than the rest. “I don’t believe for a second that you are stupid enough to think that the conditions of our imprisonment were anything less than what they are.” He snorted. “I guess he was right.” 

Harry frowned. “Who was right?” 

“Chester King,” said another woman, this one blond and fragile looking. 

Harry’s blood went cold. “When was he here?” He asked after a minute, his voice barely a whisper yet it held a command in it. 

“He came about a year ago,” the first vampire said calmly, closing his eyes. “He found us in much worse conditions,” he said with a half smirk that only made his face look even more inhuman. “Did you know that after a few hundred years of not feeding your body dries up and you are left as nothing more than a pile of bones and stone?” 

Harry shuddered, the man’s harsh words doing wonders to chastise the vampire king. “How did he-”

The man rolled his eyes. “He poured generous amounts of blood on all our mouths until tissue began forming again, to bring us to this,” he said, raising a skeletal hand. “Or do you mean to ask how did he find us?” 

“Both,” Harry admitted, still regarding the man.

“I don’t know, I didn’t ask him. We didn’t care,” the man said as he supported himself on the wall to walk towards a bench - the only one in the room.

“Did he come to recruit you?” Harry asked, his voice hardening. 

The redhead laughed. “Of course he did. He told us that that bitch was finally dead and that the new head of the clans was you. He also mentioned it is now a triad - since you’re too weak to lead on your own.”

Harry snorted. “The triad was introduced by my grandfather as a punishment to my mother for what she did against you. Whatever lies Chester has fed you, I assure you they are not true.” 

“You could have had it dissolved,” the blond one pointed out. “Your grandfather would have never allowed others to dictate his actions like you have allowed your so-called leaders. To allow one go so far as to rise up against you… it's weakness of the worst kind.”

“My grandfather handpicked Chester. I did not think the man would ever turn against his own people,” Harry half snapped. “But that is not what matters right now. I need to know what he said to you, and if the seven missing went with him.” 

“He explained that the clans have grown weak. That you have allowed yourself to mingle with  _ humans _ and have brokered a peace with them that harms the vampires. You have gone so far as to mate a fledgling,” the oldest vampire said as he rose to his full height, looking at Harry with disgust. “He has risen against you because he believes it is the only way to cleanse the clans of your perversions.” 

It was Harry’s turn to roll his eyes. “I brokered a peace with the humans because I was not stupid enough to think they would never advance. Their technology has allowed them to do extraordinary things. They have created weapons strong enough that they might soon be able to destroy us as well - and they know it. It was not the moment to rule them by fear then nor is it our role now. We get more done by working alongside them. Furthermore, I have brought our clan to new heights of grandeur in all areas of life allowing us to dominate over humans by simple economic greatness - something I am sure Chester failed to mention. And yes, I have mated a fledgling that I myself transformed, and I don’t see how that is any of your business. He is a wonderful, powerful, and proud vampire who happens to  _ understand  _ what it is like to be human which makes him an invaluable aid when I have to deal with humans.” 

“Do you really expect us to believe you don’t hold any love for them?” The old vampire said, looking angrily at Harry. 

“I am  _ not  _ my mother,” Harry said angrily. “Nor am I my grandfather. I do not love them like she did. I do not hate them like he did. I would not put their safety and happiness above my own people; however, I am not going to slaughter them just for the fun of it. Not because they are weaker than us means they don’t deserve a modicum of respect.” 

A vampire, the only one who had remained quiet this entire time, began laughing, his laughter dark and sardonic. “Why are you here, Mr. Hart?” 

“Because Chester needs to be stopped,” Harry said, swallowing down the need to fight. “He has committed treason against the clans - a crime which calls for his death.” 

“And why did you think we would help  _ you?”  _ The man said, tilting his head to the side. “Our debt to Alaric has already been paid. When Chester came, we did not go with him. That, after everything done to us, is more than enough to honor our dead friend. We did not choose to attack you or your clan despite the fact that you are nothing to us but a memory of torment and shame.”

“I did not come here to ask for your help in my grandfather’s name,” Harry said calmly, careful not to show even a wisp of emotion.”I came to form a new blood contract.” 

That, at last, earned him complete silence.  

The vampire that had just spoken stood up then, and in that moment Harry realized that this was the man that led the remaining five farseers. He approached Harry with slow steps, looking a bit better than the other four but not by much. 

Once he was standing close enough to Harry he said "why would we swear a blood oath to you? In the time that I've known you you have shown me no reason to do so. You are battling an insurrection and have not yet made a move to squash the insolent humans who dare defy our race. You didn't even know you had been betrayed by your own and thus are now are in the middle of a  _ civil war _ .” The man said getting angrier with each word. 

He began pacing, touching his jet black hair with skeletal fingers, before turning back to face Harry with hate filled eyes. “And, despite all this, you have come to look for us - a group of vampires you clearly dislike, since you have not made any efforts to rescue us before today. That tells me you're desperate, but so far you have not even discussed using your powers to end the conflict. You refuse to use your natural talents for some inane reason - no doubt some silly idea planted in your head by mother dear.” The man scrunched up his face in disgust. “You say you would not put humans before your own and yet you would rather let your people die than go against what your mother taught you - despite the fact that your grandfather took great pride in his power, so much so that it became your family symbol.” The man approached Harry again, baring his fangs at the King. “You are not worthy of being called Alaric Hart's grandson and you're certainly not worthy of being my king.”

Everyone remained quiet after that, but Harry could tell they were all in agreement with the man. 

“It is true that I have not stopped the insurrection up until now. I had hoped, perhaps foolishly, that we would be able to do it through diplomatic channels. Had this been a mere human insurrection, my plan would have worked too. Had I known a vampire was involved, a vampire so far up our ranks, I would have handled this very differently.” Harry sighed rubbing his temples. “And while this does look like a civil war, I assure you it is nothing more than a stack against  _ my  _ state. An attack that will not be forgiven. I will crush them like the pest they are,” he growled, his eyes hardening with a smoldering fire. “As to your second point, I don’t actually hate you. I don’t think my mother handled any of this properly, and neither did I. By the time I found out you were alive, I was unsure how to reintroduce you to both our society and to the world. That was  _ my  _ mistake, and I apologize. And no, you are under no obligation to like me, or agree with any of what I have done. That doesn’t mean we cannot make a contract.”

“You still haven’t explained why you refuse to use your power to end the conflict,” the blond woman said, tilting her head to the side. “Has your mother made you that ashamed of everything you are? Are you ashamed of being Alaric’s grandson too, then?” 

Harry bristled. “I  _ loved _ my grandfather,” Harry bit out, narrowing his eyes down on the woman. “He was my best friend, and my confidant just like I was his rock and his companion. I already told you that I am not my mother. I might not have agreed with everything papa said or did, but that does not equate to shame.” 

“Then why not simply end this?” The woman pushed, raising a skeptical brow. 

“Because my powers are not like Papa’s,” Harry said coldly. “When he passed on his abilities… he did so while he was close to losing control due to my mother’s interference. Not only that but his power pales in comparison to what I can do. His abilities were calm and malleable. Mine are uncontrollable and sinister. If I use my power… if I allow myself to lose control… it won’t just be humans that will have to worry but every vampire alive. I will not put my people in danger, not if I can help it.” 

“So you will let them die at Chester’s hand?” Another said with a snort. 

“Obviously not, hence why I am here,” Harry said with an eye roll. 

The first vampire suddenly laughed. “And you think we alone can stop Chester, when six of our own are now at his mercy, and have had the chance to feed properly for a year? Are you truly that delusional?” 

Harry sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I have a vast army at my disposal, that is not the point. I am hoping this won’t have to end in full out war. The last thing I want is for my people’s blood to be shed. I was hoping that your presence might be enough to make him reconsider. And yes, I realize this is an overtly positive outlook but… if it truly comes down to it and my army is not enough to stop him I can assure you I will personally step in.” 

“Oh so now you are saying you  _ are _ willing to use your powers even though you just said you can’t control them,” said the first vampire. “Will you ever spew anything but lies, I wonder.” 

Harry whirled around and faced the man with a furious look. Harry allowed the heavy veil he always used to suppress his powers to drop ever so slowly, allowing the sinister energy living inside of him to shine slowly but surely as the beast within opened its eyes and looked straight into Harry’s heart, for once not attempting to fight against its chains.

Harry took a few calming breaths as he walked closer to the man, feeling the ground vibrating underneath him and he hadn’t even started using his power yet. It was intoxicating, at times, when he allowed the curtain to fall halfway, when a little bit of the truth oozed out of his pores and the very environment changed around him, shrinking back in fear of the very damnation Harry exuded. He looked around the quickly darkening room, a terrifying smirk on his face. He stretched his neck as his fangs came out to play. 

He could hear thunder in the distance. It was utterly  _ delicious.  _

Harry brought a hand up, noticing with bored eyes that his usually trimmed nails had begun elongating to long, sharp things that made it easier for him to rip anyone’s heart out if he so wished. “Lying you said… I have no need to lie,” Harry said, his voice deeper than before. “You don’t have even a remote idea of what I am capable of, farseer,” Harry spat out. “This is but a small taste of what lies within me… and you want me to unleash myself onto my people?” Harry half growled, before closing his eyes. 

It was excruciatingly painful but he managed to render the beast dormant once more, pulling up the veil nice and securely. “No, I don’t think I’ll be doing that - if it can be avoided,” he said once he was sure he was under control, despite feeling a little breathless.

No one dared speak for the longest time, all of them looking at Harry with different degrees of awe. Harry looked at each for them for a few seconds, understanding dawning on him. While they still fundamentally disagreed with him, they now respected him - or, more accurately, they respected the power he held.

“If we are to form a contract with you… then we must look eye to eye on the terms,” the vampire that had been last to speak told Harry. “We will not serve a king we do not believe in, especially not after what you and yours have done to us.” 

Harry nodded, straightening up as he placed his hands behind his back, holding his right wrist with his left hand. “What are your terms?” 

“You said so yourself, Mr. Hart. We do not belong to your time. We do not hold the same beliefs you do about humans. We have no qualms about killing them. Furthermore this… prison your mother created-”

“I would not put you back here. I am not that cruel. If you betray me, I will kill you,” Harry said, his voice monotone.

The man smirked, but nodded. “Now you are starting to sound like Al.”

“If you come back with me, I will offer you a place in my clan. You will help me protect my people, just like you did my grandfather. You are all trained spies and assassins; I don’t see why your abilities have to go to waste. As to humans… we do not kill them, and I am not willing to bend on that. We only kill humans when they strike first, at which point you are free to destroy any threats you see fit. I will not stop you from hunting, if you refuse to conform to the newer methods we use, but I will not let you kill them indiscriminately. It would destroy the peace we have maintained for hundreds of years.”

They all gathered together, looking at one another without the need to utter a word to have a seemingly full discussion. Finally, after what felt like and age, they all nodded in unison, still not looking quite convinced, but at least they did not look like they were ready to tear Harry’s throat out anymore. 

“Very well… we might never agree on a fundamental level, but… there must be a reason why your grandfather chose you and loved you. We will follow you, but we do not promise to do so forever.” 

Harry nodded. “Shall we, then?” 

“We need to feed, before doing your ritual,” one of them reminded them. “And I do believe proper introductions are also necessary after that.” 

Harry sighed and nodded. “Please try not to slaughter too many people,” he said seriously.

A few of them rolled their eyes, but they nodded, which was enough for Harry to follow them outside the castle. They made their way to the front, door, all freezing when they saw the sheer distance between the mainland and the castle. 

“We… do not have enough strength to make the jump,” One of the women said, looking at Harry with sad eyes.

“I shall bring a boat,” he said, waving his hand to dismiss her fears. “Just wait here, I shall return in a moment with the boat… and blood.” 

“I assume you mean those hideous bags you gave us before?” One of them half sneered, though there was no fire in his eyes. 

“Why yes, that’s exactly what I was going to bring,” Harry said, raising a brow in challenge. “Like I said, I will not let you kill indiscriminately, and you haven’t fed in centuries. You won’t be able to control yourselves if you drink from the source now.” 

They sighed but no one said anything, knowing deep down that, if they were to hold true to their word of working with Harry, they would have to make some concessions too. Of course, the man himself would have to prove that he was actually better than his mother. Yes, his little display of power had been enough for them to understand his reticence of using the power openly. Still, aside from his words, they had not yet seen Harry do anything for them or their people. 

It was clear to them that only time would tell whether they had chosen the right side. They just hoped their continued loyalty to Alaric proved to be the right choice.   

* * *

“Well you truly are looking much better,” Harry mused from where he sat on on of the few still workable chairs in the main hall of the castle. 

The five vampires looked back at him with slight amusement, looking indeed much better. For one, they had gained back muscle, making them look less like skeletons and more like the vampires they were. They were still a bit more skinny than what was normal, but they did not look as feeble anymore. Their skin was not as sickly pale, and their hair looked lucious and alive. 

“Byron Amsel, spymaster, at your service,” said the oldest vampire as he gave Harry a curt nod, his long white hair cascading softly down his shoulders. 

“Edmond Garrick,” said the brown haired man who had first spoken to Harry when he had walked in. “General of King Alaric’s armed forces.” 

“Clarabelle Nightingale,” the blond woman said softly, still looking like the most frail of them all. “Head of the sisterhood.” 

Harry was unable to hold back a look of surprise; out of all of them, he had not expected the most petite of the lot to be the assassin leader of his grandfather’s female assassin force.

“Isadora Bellamy,” said the redhead, giving Harry an amused look. “Head tactician.” 

“Rafael Baudin,” said the last vampire, the vestiges of a french accent still clear on his voice. “Head of the farseers.” 

Harry gave them all a courteous nod before standing up and saying “Harry Hart - grandson of Alaric Hart. King of the Sanguis Clan, head of the triad and commander of the armed forces.” 

“Now then,” said Rafale, looking slightly impatient. “Shall we get on with it?” 

Harry chuckled and nodded, once again opening his sack to pull out six golden cups and a knife. He handed each of them a cup as they arranged themselves in a circle. Once they were all situated Harry brought up the knife and cut his wrist with it without making a sound, pouring a little bit of his blood on each cup. Next, he picked up a flask filled with fresh human blood which he had collected when he had gone to fetch blood for them to drink. He poured, again, some blood on each cup, including the one he was holding in his hand, which, up until that point, had remained empty. 

After that he handed the knife to Rafael and brought his cup forward so the man could pour some of his blood inside Harry’s cup. Each of the five did the same, quickly filling Harry’s cup almost halfway by the end of it. Harry swirled the contents of his cup, allowing them to mix altogether. 

Once he deemed it ready he nodded at them and closed his eyes, once again allowing a bit of the veil to drop. When he opened his eyes again they shone bright red, making the blood in each cup shine a similar shade. They all drank the contents of their respective cups then, quickly and silently. 

All five vampires grunted and fell to their knees, their heads bowing of their own accord. Harry remained standing, his eyes closed as he felt their energy surge inside of him, allowing him to feel them more deeply than he usually did others. He did not need to open his eyes to see them. He was sure they themselves were feeling his energy now, hence why they had dropped to their knees, crushed by the overwhelming sensation. 

“ _ Putain, ce n'est pas possible,”  _ Rafael whispered, shaking slightly as he tried to adjust to the crushing pressure he was feeling emanating from the few drops of blood he had consumed. “Will this… sensation ever go away?” 

“I certainly hope so,” Harry told him honestly. “I have never formed a blood contract with anyone other than my grandfather, so I’m afraid I don’t know how it will work this time.” 

Clarabelle stood up then, looking a little paler than was normal, but better than the rest. “Well… we’ll learn to deal with it. But now… we should get going. I don’t want to remain here for another second longer.” 

Harry nodded. “We should indeed start moving, after all, Chester might attack at any moment now.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the long wait, but I hope it was worth it! We are almost at the end of the fic, so I'm hoping to have it all done within the next month or two.


	36. Playing Dirty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting."   
> \- Sun Tzu

Harry stepped further into the beach, stopping only where the water met land to wait for the five vampires who were still getting out of the boat. He scrunched up his nose in distaste as the salt water lapped up his shoes and wetted the edge of his fine trousers. He had never been much of a beach person - partly because sun was so closely associated with the damn thing and partly because he disliked how utterly useless and dirty his suits became near the sand and the salty water. He looked back at the lot of vampires, a part of him relaxing at the sight of Rafael offering Clarabelle his hand to help her jump down from the boat to the watery sand. He held her hand softly with one of his own, while the other gripped a part of her waist without shame. 

She smiled up at him, gracefully stepping onto the sand. While they both knew she did not need help, she appreciated the gentlemanly gesture. She pressed ever so slightly against the man, raising her hand to caress his cheek. He leaned into her touch, his red eyes never leaving her own hypnotic purplish red ones. Her smile widened as the fondness in his eyes grew stronger, making his eyes twinkle. She rose up to her tiptoes then, pressing a soft kiss against his lips before relaxing back onto the floor. He followed her down without a thought, squeezing her closer as the kiss went from fleeting to needy in less than a second. 

“Get a hold of yerself, lad,” Byron grunted as he poked the man in the back, surprising Harry with the scottish tilt in his voice. The man had spoken little before and had, Harry now realized, been imitating Alaric’s accent. 

_ And that,  _ Harry thought,  _ was why the man was the spymaster.  _

Rafael did not take heed to the man’s order, instead teasing the woman's bottom lip, asking for entrance. She eagerly parted her lips, sighing happily as she buried her hands in his hair.

“Clara,” The redhead tutted, looking amused. “I don't think now’s the time for this.” 

Rafael growled but pulled away. “I have been held captive for almost a  _ thousand  _ years, unable to even get close to my wife as I saw her rot away into literal dust-” 

“Oh for fuck's sake, we all saw our significant others turn to nothing, Rafa,” Edmund said in a bored tone, his eyes holding no pity. “You can wait a day longer.” 

“Now, now, Just because Rhea decided to follow Chester, it doesn't mean you get to be pissy about the one marriage that made it out of this intact,” Clarabelle tutted, though her anger was clear in her eyes. 

Edmund clenched his jaw. “This isn’t about my wife, Clara, so keep your claws down,” the man said with a click of his tongue. “We have to get going. You both know that, so can we move?” 

Harry stepped closer then, not wanting the situation to spiral out of control. “We are not too far from where we set camp. We will have to make a stop there, as transport needs to be arranged to take us back to the castle. You will have time to rest, feed, and enjoy one another’s company - in whatever way you deem best.”

Byron smiled at Harry’s inherent propriety that made the man give the others room to ignore the fact that he was giving Rafael and Clarabelle a fuck break. He was, in that aspect, more tactful than his grandfather. 

“How kind of you, your Majesty,” Byron commented, keeping his tone light to show Harry he didn’t actually mean to insult. While he had no love for the man, he had just made a blood contract with him, so he didn’t want to start on the wrong foot.

Harry gave him a small smile, clearly appreciative of the man’s humor before he pointed with his head towards the street. “Come on, we’re within walking distance, so the sooner we get there, the faster we can arrange for transportation.” 

“Wouldn’t the fastest way be to run back? It will take us months to get to Alaric’s castle otherwise,” Isadora commented, taking out one of her daggers to fix the slightly undone hem of her dress. 

Harry froze. It only now downed on the man that the farseers had not been privy to the human advances of the past thousand years. They had no idea how electricity worked, they had never flown on planes… dear God, he would have to introduce them to the world slowly, lest he overwhelm them too quickly.

“Like I said before, humans have made numerous technological advances. Running or swimming - even with our enhanced speed - are no longer the fastest ways to move, especially considering the fact that we are on a country rather far from England,” Harry explained, feeling a twinge of amusement at their looks of skepticism. 

They did not comment further on this “technology” Harry was speaking of, instead concentrating on the latter part of what he said. They all shared curious looks. Back when Elvira had imprisoned them, they had not realized they had left their kingdom. They had been on a boat for many many months - or had it been over a year ? -  kept chained and barley fed to keep them from escaping, but it hadn’t occurred to them that the geographic makeup of their kingdom had changed; the humans had most likely acquired land from them. 

“Where are we exactly?” Rafael asked, coming up to walk just a few steps behind Harry, like he once had with Alaric. 

“We are in an uninhabited part of Kiribati,” Harry said as he walked up the sandy way to the arbored Island. 

“That name means nothing to us,” Clarabella reminded Harry, with a half smile. “It did not exist when we were last free. 

“It is an Island my mother came by chance when she was a girl. It was during the time she left home when she had had a particularly bad row with Papa. How she remembered how to get here, and to annotate that into an approximate location, I don’t know.” 

“So you own this Island?” Byron asked, looking around at the vast fauna and crystalline water. 

“No. This Island was formally discovered by the British humans in the seventeen hundreds. They colonized it for a long time - until the humans here finally were able to declare their independence. It’s a very small country and it’s very far from our own Kingdom.”

“Why is there no one here? I can’t hear any beating hearts,” Edmund asked, clearly unnerved.

“The country is made up of thirty two reef islands. This one, like I said before, is uninhabited. There’s no humans to be found - not unless you cross the water into the next island.” 

Isadora shook slightly. “Your mother really did think of everything, didn’t she?” She said bitterly, her eyes burning with centuries worth of anger.

Harry did not answer, instead beckoning them with his hand for them to follow. They walked silently after that, the only sounds those of the animals that lived in the island. While Harry was sure there were multiple predators on the prowl, not a single animal came near them. Animals, unlike most humans Harry had met in his life, were smarter in that sense; they could detect the predators hidden by their pretty faces. They knew to steer clear of Harry and his bone chilling presence. 

“Your Majesty,” Tristan said as soon as his eyes landed on the approaching King and his new entourage. He hurriedly made his way to greet Harry, bowing deeply in front of the man once he reached him. “It is good to see you safe.” 

Edmund seemed unimpressed. “Is this one of the members of your guard? Shouldn’t he have come with you, if his job is to keep you safe?”

“I instructed my men to stay behind. I didn’t want to unnecessarily endanger their lives as I didn’t know how you would react to my presence. And, while their job is indeed to protect me, they don’t have enough rank to disobey a direct order from me,” Harry said, not explaining that the only person with a rank lesser than his own that could have really stopped Harry from going alone was Merlin and the man was currently blessedly not present.

Clarabelle shook her head, looking at Harry like he was both the dumbest and the most adorable thing she had seen in a long time. “You and I need to have a talk about priorities and how your life is one,” she said, all too seriously, before taking a step towards Tristan. “What’s your name, young man?” 

Tristan raised a brow; by all standards, he was not a young man anymore. He was only a century younger than Harry, but then again, if these were truly the farseers, then compared to them he was but a child.

“My name is Tristan, Madam,” He said, not mentioning the fact that he had not been born with that name, but had assumed it once he had risen to the Tristan position within Kingsman. 

“Tristan, have the men set up extra tents for our guests, and provide them with anything they might need. Also, i need you call Hector, and tell him to fly back with the jet as soon as he has finished filling the tank,” Harry said before the woman could say anything else. 

“Of course, your Majesty,” Tristan said with another bow. “If you all could please follow me, we will have your accommodations ready in no time. You should have at least two or three hours to rest before Hector returns,” he told them amicably, turning around and walking deeper into the camp with full confidence that they would follow. 

“I assume he’s the one I have to hound for more blood?” Isadora asked, tilting her head to the side. “If you don’t want us killing humans as soon as we are near them, we are going to need to feed a lot more than we have.” 

Harry schooled his features into a neutral expression despite his shock; he had given them  _ a lot  _ of blood bags already. “We should have enough supplies here for one more feeding. After that, you can feed when we reach my kingdom.” 

“How long will that take exactly,” Edmund asked, forcing back a shiver as he imagined the many months without food they were about to go without.

“The ride will take about seventeen hours, a little more than that, possibly, since we do have to make one stop to get fuel.”

Byron did a double take. ‘Seventeen hours? That’s impossible! The journey here took us months. How can it take only seventeen hours?” 

“Like I said, human technology is a thing of wonder. They developed airplanes - an aircraft which permits us to fly to our destinations, thus cutting the time needed to reach long distances.” 

“Are you taking the piss?” Byron asked, looking genuinely baffled. “Humans found a way to fly?” 

Harry smiled softly. “Humans are not that different from us. Yes, they are weaker and slower, and they die more easily than us, but they are brilliant, and they deserve respect.” Harry tilted his head slightly, considering the group of people standing in front of him. “Perhaps you’ll suspend your hate for them and get to know them before judging their race as a whole. You can start by speaking with my mate. He was a human up until recently.”

No one commented, but none of them seemed too keen on doing as Harry was subtly asking. Well no one except Byron, who, being the spy master, was always keen on getting information from the source. Harry didn't let it bother him; he knew these vampires would need centuries before even attempting to look things his way. He had known that before coming in. He knew he was in this for the long haul.

Once they left, following behind Tristan, Harry relaxed and walked back to his own tent to attempt to establish a connection with the communications tower back at his castle. Unfortunately, they had terrible service here, so it was virtually impossible to contact Merlin and his mate. It made Harry feel slightly on edge, as the lack of information made his imagination divagate into dark places. 

He rubbed his eyes before he looked at the useless little device sitting in the provisionary table they had set up for him. He sighed softly, his hand coming up unconsciously to cover his mouth; his thumb pressing against the bottom of his chin and his index finger digging slightly into his top lip. He didn’t know if it was his inherent paranoia, if it was the fact that he was so far from his mate and had no news from him, or if the bond was trying to tell him something, but he couldn’t ignore the painful tug of his heart that was screaming in panic. 

It felt like something was about to go horribly wrong, and he just hoped to get home before it did. 

Someone cleared their throat outside the tent, and then waited outside, clearly expecting to hear back from Harry before daring to come in. “Enter,” the man said impassively, not moving from his position at the table. 

“Your Majesty, the jets are en route, they will be here in thirty minutes,” Tristan said with a bow as he walked in. “We have also given the farseers blood, and have left them to refresh themselves. We can start breaking down the camp if you wish, so that we are ready to leave as soon as the jets arrive.”

Harry nodded and got up, trying - and failing - to shake himself from the feeling. “Break down our side of the camp first. Let the farseers rest in their tents until the Jets arrive.” 

“Yes, sir,” the man said immediately, giving Harry one last bow before leaving the room to carry out his orders. 

* * *

Eggsy sat by Rodbart at the edge of the field, feeling more than a little useless. Merlin and Kay had begun gathering the troops, dividing them into their units by their specialty, rank, and level of power. Given that Eggsy had never served in Harry’s army, nor had he had centuries to get to know each one like Kay and Merlin had, he wasn’t exactly of much help. More importantly, Merlin had overseen the training of most of Chester’s troops, so he knew their weaknesses and how to best overrun them. 

It was slightly intimidating watching Merlin command the troops. Eggsy had gotten used to, for better or worse, to see Merlin as Harry’s annoyed older brother; he was the man that trailed after Eggsy’s mate with a constant eye roll and a resigned sigh. He was cheeky smiles and dry retorts; he was worried glances and encouraging words. He was… family, really, and so Eggsy, while obviously aware of the man’s prowess, had never seen him as someone threatening. 

Eggsy had known, of course, that Merlin commanded the royal forces in Harry’s name, and had done so for centuries. He knew the man was Harry’s right hand and his left one too if the King asked it of him. Still, it was quite something seeing Merlin standing atop a black podium dressed in all black, his long coat open to show the slick suit. He had no weapons in sight, and yet he looked deadlier than half the people standing below him. His eyes were hard and cold and his hands twitched ever so slightly behind his back with the surplus of contained energy and rage. 

Kay stood slightly to the side to Merlin’s right, a tablet in hand, as he changed a few units here and there. Percival stood next to Kay, looking slightly tense and yet, surprisingly regal, almost as untouchable as Valentine generally looked. 

That was yet another thing Eggsy hadn’t really considered; Percival was Chester’s nephew. Percival was fucking vampiric  _ royalty _ . Yes, the man had been exiled and thus no longer had any titles to his name, but he had not left up until a few decades ago and, while that was a very long time for Eggsy, that was but a blink of an eye for the man. He had lived in the clans for far longer than he had lived outside of them. He had been raised to act the part; he had been raised to lead, as Chester had had no sons, and Percival had been the natural option for Chester to name as his heir before their fallout. 

Perhaps that was one of the reasons Chester had reacted so viciously when Percival had decided to leave it all behind to be near the human he loved. It had been a personal insult against Chester, for the man had groomed Percival since childhood to carry on the family name. Eggsy wondered if now, with Chester’s betrayal, Percival would be able to come back after. Eggsy wasn’t even sure if the man wanted to come back, but it was still an interesting possibility to consider. He wondered too if Harry would restore him to the Metus’ royal family; would there even be a metus clan at the end of this, or would Harry do away with the whole structure, effectively absorbing whatever was left of the clan once he subdued them?

Eggsy didn’t know enough about his mate’s manner of ruling to answer that question. 

All thoughts of politics and power games left his mind, however, as a sharp pain stabbed the back of his mind. He groaned slightly, bending forward as he grabbed his head as if that could help keep the sudden splitting headache at bay. Rodbart immediately turned to look at him, alarmed. 

“Your highness?” The man said as he jumped to catch Eggsy. “Are you alright?”

Merlin turned to look at them immediately, Rodbart’s tone of voice enough to alert him that something seriously wrong had occurred. He jumped off of the high podium and ran to Eggsy’s side, helping the boy sit back down.

“I’m alright,” Eggsy said quickly, still feeling a little winded. 

“You don’t look alright,” Merlin said, looking as worried as Rodbart. “What happened?” 

“I don’t know, my head suddenly started hurting, and I felt… like I got cramps? I don’t know Merlin.” 

That only made the man look more worried. “Has it happened in the past? Whether when you were human or after you changed?” 

Eggsy shook his head, clenching his hands as another wave of pain hit him, making him feel nauseous - if such a thing was even possible for a vampire. He moved his head to the side, his hand coming up to cover his mouth.

Merlin looked more alarmed by the minute. “Eggsy… when you spent your heat with Harry, did he give you a tea beforehand?” 

Eggsy frowned. “A tea? What… no? I mean by the time we reached our room we weren't exactly all there if ya know what I mean,” he said, blushing despite himself.

Merlin paled. “Are you feeling nauseous?” 

“A bit? Mostly I just have a really bad headache that is making me feel nauseous,” Eggsy said, sounding more and more confused by the second. “Merlin what's happening?” 

“Well… it would be extremely rare as it was your first shared heat but… perhaps you could be with child.” 

“ _ What?”  _ Eggsy squeaked out, looking like he had just seen a ghost. “But I… that's impossible. I am not a-”

“You're an Omega, Eggsy,” Merlin said, raising a brow at him as if daring to challenge him.

“But… Merlin this was a while ago. Shouldn't I… I dunno. Wouldn't we have noticed by now?” Eggsy said doing his outmost best not to lose his shit.

“Your highness, there’s no need to scare the prince yet,” Rodbart said chidingly to  Merlin.”It might just be that he needs to rest,” he said soothingly as he ran his hands through Eggsy’s hair, clearly checking for injuries. “When was the last time you fed, sir?” 

Eggsy winced. “Yesterday, I think,” He said, the pain making it harder for him to give an accurate answer. 

“And the last time you slept?” Merlin asked, his eyes hardening slightly. The boy was just like Harry; forgetting to take care of himself as if his life wasn’t precious enough as it was. 

Eggsy grimaced again. “When Harry left,” Eggsy admitted. “I haven’t felt tired at all though, and I did try to sleep, I just… have been worrying about him, you know?” 

Merlin’s eyes narrowed. “Eggsy, you might be a vampire now, but you’re still very young. You need rest and you need blood. We can’t have you in a weakened state when we’re about to go to war.” 

“I know, I… sorry,” Eggsy said with a relenting sigh. 

“You need to go rest, now” Merlin instructed, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I will have a servant bring you blood in a few hours, after you’ve slept for a bit. If you still have a headache after you have rested and fed…” Merlin shook his head, looking a little dazed. “Well we'll deal with it when we get there.” 

Eggsy wanted to protest for a second, argue that they didn't have time to rest now. But, considering he wasn't actually helping much and the fact that Merlin was right - they needed him healthy - he figured it was best to nod his head and let Merlin fuss over him. Not to mention, if he really was fucking pregnant - which  _ how -  _ then he desperately wished to be alone to freak the fuck out.

“I will call Kay to escort you-” 

“No, Merlin, I don't need anyone to come with me,” Eggsy half whined. “You need Kay here to help you with the troops, and I know the way to my room. Nothing is going to happen to me if I walked a few hundred meters alone to the royal wing - where you already have guards posted anyway,” Eggsy said with finality as he stood up, forcing himself not to sway with pain to keep Merlin from overriding him.

“Eggsy, you are not feeling well. If you lose your strength on your way-” 

“Merlin I am not going to faint. It's fine,” Eggsy repeated, a tad annoyed. He hated looking so weak in front of everyone, especially because he knew that even if no one would admit it, he was already seen as weaker because he was a fledgling. “I’ll see you in a few hours.” 

With that Eggsy walked past Merlin and to the entrance of the castle, stopping for a second by the double set of doors to fight another wave of pain. He took a deep breath and sneaked in, doing his best to avoid guards and nobles alike. The last thing he needed now was for someone to see him when in pain. 

He reached the royal wing faster than expected, feeling a wave of relief as the pain suddenly eased though it did not leave him completely. Perhaps Rodbart was right; he just needed to rest. 

He walked unseeingly to Harry's room, freezing once inside the little waiting room Harry had outside of their chamber. There was something… off. The smell was wrong. Before they got together, the entire area had  smelled solely like Harry, with a slight whiff of Merlin's scent. Since Eggsy had moved into Harry's quarters, the rooms’ scents had changed; they usually smelled like a lovely combination of the two men. 

Today, however, it felt like a squad had barged into the King’s quarters. Not only that, but Eggsy was pretty sure he could smell Chester. 

He frowned again, and moved to the desk that sat at the corner of the room, quietly taking out a pair of guns. He wasn't sure if he was being overly paranoid, but if he had learned one thing during his time at MI6 was that his gut was his most trusted ally when it came to keeping himself alive. 

With the guns loaded and their safeties off, Eggsy walked into his bedroom, raising the guns immediately. He stilled then, his nostrils flaring with anger as he came face to face with Chester, Charlie, another four idiots he did not recognize and Rebecca, whom they had tied and were pointing a gun to. She looked as furious as Eggsy was starting to.

“You have some balls coming here, you bastard,” Eggsy growled, one gun trained on Chester and the other on Charlie. “Do you honestly think you'll make it out of here alive?”

“Oh I don't think it; I know it,” Chester said calmly with a small smile. “Drop your weapons, boy, or I will blow her brains out.” 

Eggsy felt rage well up inside him. “How about you let her go before I burn your heart out?” the young man said sweetly.

Chester chuckled. “You still haven’t noticed, have you? Of course you haven’t, it goes to show just how subpar fledglings are,” Chester sneered. “You can’t use your powers boy. Not when they are bound.” 

Eggsy frowned, clearly confused by the comment. He took a deep breath and attempted to unleash the fire, if only to prove the snob wrong, but he noticed it then; he could not feel the fire within him. He could only feel the pain in his head suddenly get stronger. 

‘What… what did you do to me?” Eggsy asked, forcing himself to keep his panic down, even though inside he felt like screaming. 

Chester smiled. “ _ I  _ didn’t do anything,” the man said as he let his gaze wander off to Charlie who was smiling like a shark, his gleam victorious. “Not that it much matters. The point is you, like your friend here, are not much of a danger when you can’t use your abilities. So, I recommend you stop fighting and follow me.”

“Not until you let her go,” Eggsy said firmly. 

Chester raised a brow. “You honestly think you are in a position to bargain?” 

“I can have an army here in seconds, Chester,” Eggsy reminded him, still looking angry.

“By which point your friend here will be long dead, and so will you,” Chester replied calmly. “So, like I said, you are not in a position to bargain. Come with me, and I will not kill your friend.” 

Eggsy looked at the girl, who was vigorously shaking her head. She was gagged, and hence could not speak, but it was clear to Eggsy she would rather take a bullet to the head any day before seeing her master’s mate in the hands of one Chester king. Unfortunately for her, she was Eggsy’s friend, and there was no way in hell the boy was losing her to fucking Chester. 

He dropped his weapons then, and that seemed to be the cue for everyone to move as two of Chester’s men jumped to grab Eggsy then, forcing him to his knees. The other two men untied Rebecca but continued holding her down and brought her to kneel in front of Chester. 

“When you wake up, I want you to inform Harry that I have his mate, and that I will be happy to discuss the terms of his surrender,” Chester said politely before leaning down and breaking the girl’s neck.

“Becca!” Eggsy screamed, trying - and failing - to fight against the tight hold the - now 3 - vampires had on him.

“Oh stop your whining, she’s just unconscious,” Charlie said with a roll of his eyes. “We should get going, uncle.” 

Chester nodded, not even bothering to look at Eggsy as he said “load him into the truck and let’s go. Merlin is bound to notice the security breach sooner rather than later. Oh and put him to sleep. We want him pliant.”

And with that Charlie stepped forward, looking like Christmas had come early, and proceeded to do the same to Eggsy as Chester had done to Rebecca, sending the boy tumbling into darkness. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry it has taken me literally forever to update, but I have been super busy!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it. As always, the first chapter is always slower as I have a world to set up, but I do hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> P.S Kudos and Comments are always very much appreciated

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Shadows of the Forgotten](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6033262) by [Maniacalfreak](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maniacalfreak/pseuds/Maniacalfreak)




End file.
